Sonja “Sunny” Grace Frappiea
SWANTON: On Thursday, December 21st, 2023, in the comfort of her home and with her family at her side, Sunny passed away.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, on April 30th, 1942, she was one of four children to the late Clifford and Margaret (Zeno) Collette. Sunny was 81 years old.
Sunny was a 1960 graduate of Peoples Academy in Morrisville where she enjoyed cheerleading and developed a lifelong love of horses and bareback horse riding.
In 1963 she married David Frappiea, who predeceased her in 1999. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and the ever-present rock of the family.
Sunny was a prolific seamstress creating dresses, altering pants, and repairing playtime destruction. Working in the family garage business, she was one of the first female licensed mechanics in the state of Vermont. Sunny helped to keep the business running smoothly when needed and was also the business bookkeeper.
Sunny’s greatest joy and passion was raising her children. She enjoyed seeing how children see the world and how they process new information. Sunny took joy in actively watching her children grow up and become adults. She encouraged education, arts, travel, and an open mind. That same love and support for her family continued as she helped to raise her grandchildren. Her now adult grandson’s toy airplane has found safety on her refrigerator to this day. Sunny has left a lasting positive impact on every member of her family.
Survivors include her sons, David Frappiea Jr and his wife, Dorothy, Craig Frappiea and his wife, Mary, and Phillip Frappiea and his wife, Fannie; her daughters, Yvette Cross and her husband, Jim, Danielle Frappiea and her fiancé, Roger Manning; her grandchildren, Courtney Kumes and her husband, Tom, Thomas Cross and his wife, Heather, Caitlin Andra and her husband, Harley, Rebecca Remillard and her husband, Bradley, Liam Frappiea, Hana Frappiea, Craig Frappiea Jr. and Joshua Renshaw; and her great-grandchildren, Theodore Andra and Jonathan Cross.
Sunny is also survived by her siblings, Roland Collette, Victor Collette, and Charlene “Cooki” Manning, and several nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life is planned for this spring.
Honored to be serving the family of Sunny, is Rett Heald of the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com
