Sonia Bergan McDuffie

Sonia McDuffie, age 91, died at home on Thursday, June 12, surrounded by her family.

Born in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, on February 21, 1934, Sonia was the first child of Clarence Alfred Bergan and Edna Ness Bergan. When Sonia was eight, the family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where her father worked for The Manhattan Project.

She attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, then transferred and graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – where she would meet her future husband, Roger Atkinson McDuffie, Jr.

After college she worked in Paris for the Atomic Energy Commission. Her years there were among the happiest of her life. Her work was interesting and she made lifelong friends from all over the world, in a dynamic and art-rich environment.

After traveling extensively through Asia in 1960, Sonia settled in Greenwich Village, New York City, where she worked at the New York Historical Society. She continued to pursue her interest in the arts, and was reacquainted with Roger.

Sonia and Roger married in 1961 and moved to Spartanburg, where she lived the rest of her life. She taught French at the Spartanburg Day School until starting a family.

Sonia was highly active in the arts for decades. She founded, was board member, or led a countless number of arts groups, including dedicated exhibition spaces for contemporary art, and large-scale exhibition series across her adopted home town. She served as President of The Spartanburg Arts Council, and in 1986 received the David Reid Award for lifetime Achievement in The Arts.

Sonia was also deeply committed to the Episcopal Church of The Advent, where she was a member for almost 65 years. (Her favorite volunteer activity was working as a teacher’s aide at Mary H. Wright Elementary School.) A truly devout parishioner, The Advent was central to her spiritual life.

She also served on Spartanburg’s Human Rights Commission, and was an early participant in helping marginalized communities to register and vote.

Sonia was especially grateful for the help and devotion of Ruth, Karen, Ashley, Amanda, Deysi, and Betty.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Roger and greatly admired son-in-law, James Howard Anderson, II.

Sonia is survived by her children David McDuffie (and daughter-in-law Divya), Margaret McDuffie, and Carolyn Anderson; by her cherished grandchildren James Anderson, III, Charlotte Anderson; Rebecca Chapman and Caroline Chapman (and their father Marshall Chapman, Jr); brother Peter Arndt Bergan of San Diego and his children Charles, Karen, Ellen and Jason and their families.

A celebration of life is planned for Saturday July 12, at the Church of the Advent at 2pm. The family will greet friends after the service at the Parish and Community Life Center.

In remembrance of Sonia, memorials may be made to The Advent Foundation, Episcopal Church of the Advent, 141 Advent Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29302.

https://churchofadvent.org/gifts-and-pledges/