Sonia Margarita Benedetto, age 87, passed away on Friday, October 20th at Preferred Care nursing facility in Wall, New Jersey. Sonia lived in New Jersey for most of her adult life in Old Bridge, Asbury Park and Dayton. Sonia was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and grew up in San Juan. As was often expected of many young women in her generation, Sonia left behind a full scholarship to study biology at the University of Puerto Rico when her entire family moved to New York City to seek medical treatment for her step-father. They settled in Brooklyn, where she met Leonard Benedetto. A few years later they married and moved to Old Bridge, NJ where they raised three daughters. Sonia was a homemaker and mother, she was active in local politics and she was part of a small group of Old Bridge women who fought for town funds to establish the first girls softball league - long before Title IX mandated funding for girls sports. Sonia spoke five languages, and was often asked by local courts and law enforcement to serve as an interpreter during hearings or interrogations. Sonia was an advocate for civil rights and, in the words of a friend, “She fought many battles for people in need, she knew her rights and defended them to till the end.” Later in her career, Sonia worked caring for young children. Sonia is predeceased by her life partner, Rafael Seda, her former husband Leonard, her parents Modesto and Angela, and her siblings, Angela, Felix, Antonio, and Hector. Sonia is survived by large and loving family: her daughters, Sandra Benedetto and her partner Betsi Gertz of New York City; Sherry Benedetto-Pagut and her husband Ron Pagut of Freehold, and Sharon Thompson and her husband Jesse Thompson of Colts Neck; her siblings, Ruth Acevedo, Zoraida Cabello, Carlos Perez, and Judy Perez; her grandchildren, Thomas Pagut, Samuel Pagut, Brad and spouse Kim Thompson, Tyler Thompson and spouse Kim Burkart, Jack Thompson, and her great-granddaughters Amelia and Olivia Thompson. Sonia loved to dance, to sing, to cook and to eat. She was a smart and complicated woman–not always the easiest person to say the least. But she was always the life of the party, often the sharpest person in the room, and she definitely had an impact on others. Once you met Sonia, you did not forget her. Visitation will be held Sunday, October 22 from Noon to 3pm, with a service at 2pm at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 South Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ. To share a favorite memory of Sonia or to leave a message of condolence, please visit holmdelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Sonia’s name to Unidos: Disaster Relief and Recovery for Puerto Rico (https://hispanicfederation.org/unidos/) or Alzheimer’s New Jersey (https://www.alznj.org/).