Sonya Seals

Honoring the life of Sonya Seals

Grace was in her steps, and heaven was in her eyes.

The link to the livestreamed funeral service can be found here.

Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, at Sunset Memorial Chapel, 7601 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa 50321. A funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. Interment will take place immediately afterward at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Following the burial, guests are welcome to return to the chapel for a luncheon and time of fellowship.

Sonya Marie Seals, 54, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026. She was born on December 12, 1971, at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, to Sherry Barze and Sammie Williams. Though her passing leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of those who loved her, her spirit lives on through the countless lives she touched with her unwavering love, resilience, and generosity.

Sonya was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She possessed a rare combination of gentleness and strength - a woman whose beauty radiated not only through her smile but also from the determination, compassion, and grace she carried throughout her life. Those fortunate enough to know her will forever be changed by her love, her laughter, and the way she made everyone feel seen, valued, and deeply cared for.

She shared a strong and faith-filled marriage with her husband, Elfonda Seals. Together, they built a family rooted in God's love, strength, perseverance, and unwavering devotion for more than twenty-five years.

Sonya found joy in life's simple blessings. She loved motorcycles and bike riding, embracing the open road and the peace it brought to her spirit. She also cherished traveling and experiencing the beauty of God's creation through new places and adventures. She expressed her love through cooking, filling her home with warmth and bringing family and friends together around meals prepared with care. To know Sonya was to know that if you sat at her table, you were family.

Her faith was the foundation of her life. Sonya walked with God in all she did, allowing His love to guide her actions, strengthen her through life's challenges, and shape the way she cared for others. Her faith was not only something she believed; it was something she lived every day. Through her work as a Dietary Manager, she touched the lives of countless children. Whenever the opportunity arose, she would share the love of Jesus with those who came to her. Many returned as adults to visit her and express their gratitude for the kindness, compassion, and love she had shown them throughout the years.

She is survived by her husband, Elfonda Seals; her children, Jaimie Marton, Myralinda Lovan (Alee), Tearanie Williams (Collin), and Xavier Williams (Erin); her cherished grandchildren, Micah Marton, Zohra Marton, Vincent Lovan, Anthony Lewis, Avari Wells, Ateari Wells, Ahmori Wells, Avion Wells, Calvin Williams, and Westmore Weber; her mother, Sherry Barze-Allen (Leon); her siblings, Simone Fickenworth (Thomas), Shayna Williams, Sean Williams and Samantha Williams; as well as many extended family members, dear friends, and loved ones who will cherish her memory forever.

Though our hearts are heavy with grief, we find comfort in knowing that Sonya's love did not end with her passing. Her wisdom, strength, beautiful spirit, and steadfast faith remain woven into the lives of those she leaves behind. Her legacy lives on in her family, in the memories she created, in the songs she sang, and in the faith she carried throughout her life. She will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.