Sonia (“Sunny”) L. (Anderson) Zoino, 88

Sonia (“Sunny”) L. (Anderson) Zoino, age 88, of Bridgewater, passed away Sunday, July 14, 2024 at Nemasket Healthcare Center in Middleboro. She was born in Chicago, IL on Wednesday, February 26, 1936, to Bror and Herver (Anderson) Anderson and raised in Pinole, California and Brockton, Massachusetts. She was the wife of Robert F. Zoino with whom she raised three children, and recently celebrated 68 years of marriage.

After graduating from Brockton High School in 1955, Sonia worked as a telephone switchboard operator for “Ma Bell” before marrying, starting a family, and settling in Brockton. Later she worked as a waitress at the Blue Hills Country Club, Bruno’s, and the Red Coach Grille. Eventually she returned to, and retired from, switchboard operating at the Brockton VA Hospital.

Sonia was a creative and fun mother. Her children knew that when she bit her bottom lip, and got a concentrated look on her face, she was coming up with some new idea for a game, or, in the winter, was about to drive them across town to the “Muck” to ice skate, or to Fields Park where she’d join them sledding, wearing a black and red checked wool jacket, and a hat with ear flaps that blew up as they careened down Tower Hill.

A dedicated swimmer, Sonia enrolled her children year after year for swimming lessons at the Campello Pool, ensuring that they gained mastery in the sport she loved.  She and her husband Bob took the family to picnics and swimming at Fearings Pond, day trips to Plymouth and Cape Cod beaches, and to drive-in movies, the children dressed in pajamas, and carrying their pillows.

Her love of the Arts encompassed many styles of music, visual art, and avid reading, and she enjoyed going to concerts and museums. Sonia instilled those loves in her children and grandchildren, and later became a serious painter herself, taking drawing and painting lessons, and producing oil and watercolor paintings for years, some displayed in group art shows.

Sunny loved to travel, and she, Bob, and their group of friends visited several National Parks, Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda, and Italy, visiting the Zoino family homestead. Later, she and Bob spent winters in Boynton Beach, FL. One of her most cherished adventures was swimming with the dolphins in Florida. In later years, her great love of animals kept her glued to Animal Planet.

Her parents had immigrated from Sweden, and Sonia was proud of her Swedish heritage. Her Dala horses kept vigil on various shelves throughout the year, but at Christmas time those horses came out from their corners, to be displayed more prominently. The house filled with the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom as she baked Pepparkakor, thin, crispy, gingerbread cookies; and made Glögg, warm spiced mulled wine, both Christmas traditions in Sweden.

Sonia is survived by her husband, Robert Zoino of Bridgewater and Middleboro, daughter Susan Zoino and husband Dan Levin of Middleboro, son James Zoino and wife Brenda Zoino of Carver, granddaughter Jessica Zoino Flowers and husband David Flowers of Reading, grandson Gregory Zoino of Carver, and great-grandson Caleb Flowers of Reading. She leaves her loving brothers- and sisters-in-law Rose Marie and Sydney Schmitchel, Richard and Barbara Zoino, John and Marion Zoino, and Ann E. Zoino. She was predeceased by her youngest son David, her brothers- and sisters-in-law Albert and Phyllis St. George, Arthur and Madelyn Kubiak, William Zoino, Ann L. Zoino, and M. Virginia Zoino.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visiting hours on Friday, July 26, from 4 – 7 PM at Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home, 280 Bedford St., Lakeville. A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, July 27 at 11:00 AM at Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation in Sonia’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association online at https://www.alz.org/?form=FUNSETYDEFK, or by mail to 320 Nevada Street, Suite 201 Newton, MA 02460.