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Pamela (Stell) Sojda

By Ronald Konieczny

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Pamela (Stell) Sojda, 66 of East Bethany, passed from this earth on May 28, 2021.

She was born March 20, 1955, the youngest daughter of the late Max R. Stell and Esther (Bartell) Stell and grew up on Lewiston Rd. in Batavia. She moved to East Bethany with her late ex-husband, Julian Sojda in 1983, residing there for over 30 years.

Pam graduated from Oakfield-Alabama Central School and continued her education at Alfred State College and Genesee Community College. She was a teller at HSBC Bank for 11 years and an employee of Offhaus Farms, Inc. for over 25 years. She started working part time on the farm while still working at the bank, eventually going full time in 1991. Pam also worked part time at Noblehurst Farms where along with her co-worker, she helped with the development of the newsletter Calving Ease, which helped calf raisers do a better job of raising healthy calves on area dairy farms. A monthly meeting group called Heifer Discussion Group evolved from the newsletter, continued for over 10 years and helped those raising calves.

Pam’s love of animals was apparent and she enjoyed sharing her home and her life with many felines over the years. At times she was the loving caregiver of 5 cats in need of a good home and spoiling for a lifetime. She related that however long they would be a part of her life, she would make their lives happy, no matter how brief that time would be.

Pam was a person interested in a variety of things. She loved to cook and bake, trying new recipes and ingredients. She enjoyed being a homeowner, siding her own house, painting, wall-papering and laying floors. Along with her sister’s help, she built her own chicken coop and raised chickens as her father did when she was a child. Whatever project needed doing, Pam would try to do it herself, learning along the way. Pam enjoyed gardening, canning and freezing her produce and following her mothers passion for putting up what she grew. Pam enjoyed watercolor painting as well sewing her own cloths. Her knowledge of wildflowers, medicinal plants and birds became a passion in her teen years and continued throughout her lifetime.

A member of the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Assoc. of Rochester since the early 1970’s, she enjoyed collecting antiques and antique bottles. She was a person whose life was rescuing everything from baby birds, motherless bunnies and cats, to old broken and discarded things. Old furniture in need of love and repair became part of her furnishings.  She learned to refinish, repair and upholster along the way. Pam enjoyed having a home computer, creating spreadsheets and task lists for any need around her home. She enjoyed emailing and writing often times lengthy diatribes of her experiences with various happenings. The recipients of those emails, often funny, sometimes sad, related how talented a writer she was.

Pam served as a member and secretary of the Town of Bethany Zoning Board of Appeals for over 30 years. She was also a proud member of the NRA and SCOPE, having obtained her pistol permit when she was 59 years old.

She is survived by her sister, Deborah A. Konieczny and cousins. She is also survived by her longtime friend, Gordon Offhaus.

Friends and family may gather to share thoughts, condolences and fond memories on Wednesday (June 30th) from 5-7pm at the J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 2 Bogue Ave., Batavia, where a memorial service will commence at 7pm after the conclusion of visitation.

Donations in Pam’s memory may be made to Volunteers for Animals, P.O. Box 1621, Batavia, NY 14020 or the Buffalo Anatomical Gift Program, P.O. Box 900, Buffalo, NY 14226. Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at: www.mcandrewfuneralhomes.net.

ARRANGEMENTS WERE ENTRUSTED TO THE J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 2 BOGUE AVE., BATAVIA, NY 14020. RONALD KONIECZNY II, DIRECTOR.

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