Sonja Maria (Johannsdottir) Cahill died Monday, January 13, 2014, at South Shore Hospital after a lengthy illness. She was 77. Born September 18, 1936, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Sonja was the devoted wife of the late James E. Cahill whom she met in Denmark where she was in nursing school and he was a member of the United States Army. Shortly following their marriage in 1958, they came to the United States eventually moving to Cohasset where they resided for 50 years.

Mrs. Cahill is predeceased by her son James E. Cahill III. She is survived by her loving children, Gerda Sullivan and her husband Michael of Marshfield who cared for her during her illness, Kristin Murphy and her husband Bret of Raleigh, North Carolina and Maria Desmond and her husband Larry of Marshfield. Sonja also leaves her brothers Orn and his wife Edda, along with Ottar and his wife Gudbjorg all of whom reside in Iceland. Amma was the proud grandmother of six devoted grandchildren, Christopher and Michael Sullivan of South Boston, Brendan Sullivan, a student at Boston College, Cara Murphy of Raleigh and Megan and Emma Desmond of Marshfield. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

When first arriving in the United States, Sonja was a nursing assistant at Leonard Morse Hospital where she met a lifelong friend, Irene Jones. After moving to Cohasset she worked at South Shore Hospital for 35 years.

She was an ardent lover of Cohasset's Sandy Beach, sewing, quilting, gardening, reading and traveling to Iceland to visit her mother, father, along with her brothers and their families. Her favorite pastime evolved into spending time with her grandchildren.

Sonja's family would like to thank the Da Vita Dialysis group who cared for their mother for 7 ½ years, South Shore Hospital's staff for their loving care, the Cohasset Paul Pratt Library and the Ventress Memorial Library in Marshfield for supplying plentiful books during the years of Sonja's illness. Their thanks as well to Nichole for her devotion to Sonja in the later stages of her illness.

Visiting hours are Friday, January 17th 4-8 PM at the McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home, One Summer St.(across from St.Anthony Church), Cohasset. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 8:15 am from the McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home, Cohasset  prior to the funeral Mass at St Christine's Church, 1295 Main St., Marshfield, MA at 9 AM. Burial Woodside Cemetery in Cohasset. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sonja's memory to: Old Colony Elder Services, 144 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301.

---