Sonya Nanette Cordova

June 9, 1967 - October 23, 2020

On Friday, Oct 23, 2020, Sonya (Amt) Cordova, 53, died surrounded by her loving family in Canton, Georgia. She is survived by her husband, Martin Cordova; her parents, Sue Harrison (Daniel Harrison) and William Amt (Diane Redinger); stepmother Debra Jeremias (Bob Jeremias); sisters Michelle Amt (Amy Ogden) and Angela Howard (Eli Howard); nieces Esme Ogden-Amt and Lily Phillips; and nephews Alex Phillips and Nate Ogden-Amt; uncle John Soroko (Tanya Todorova); and an extended family in Buena Vista, Coahuila, Mexico. Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Sonya spent her early years in motion, living in Indianapolis (IN), Niagara Falls (NY), Hagerstown (MD), Knoxville (TN), Atlanta (GA), Huckleberry Hill (CT), Norristown (PA), Charleston (SC) and Jacksonville/Orlando (FL). She graduated from Stone Mountain High School (GA) and moved to Muncie, Indiana to pursue a degree in deaf education at Ball State University. Unable to complete her studies for financial reasons, she moved to Winter Park, Florida, where she ran her own graphic design and consulting practice. However, her passion for teaching never dimmed, and at age 35, she returned to school to fulfil her dream of teaching middle school. She graduated Kennesaw State at the top of her class, won numerous teaching awards, and later went on to pursue her Master’s degree with equal aplomb. She taught ESOL students at Teasley Middle School in Canton and loved (almost) every minute of it, always striving for new ways to light a fire for learning in her students. Her ferocious pursuit of her passions, and her lively encouragement of others to do the same--this was what friends and family admired the most about Sonya. Always an artist at heart, she began with photography, expanded to stained glass, and eventually moved into stunning beadwork that resulted in private commissions and a devoted community of collectors. She explored glass the way she explored life: searching for intrinsic beauty, delighting in unusual combinations, uniting diverse pieces into a cohesive whole, and pushing boundaries with endless curiosity. Her work reflected her zest for life and her joy in travel: to California, to France, to her beloved family in Mexico, and even to the mountains nearby. Most importantly, she did it all through love: she loved people, she loved animals (especially her big fluffy dog, Daisy), she loved to laugh and to make others laugh, and she loved her family. She had a talent for immediately connecting with everyone she met—Sonya never met a stranger—and she lit up every room she entered. Her keen insight into people's souls meant she was a confidante and champion for many. Her life was short, but it burned twice as bright. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date; details will be posted on her Facebook page when available.