With sadness, we have learned of the death of Andrew Larimore Sonner, the father of Molly Andolina of the Political Science department.

Andrew passed away on October 13, 2024 at the age of 90, surrounded by his family.

He earned his JD from the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, DC.  Andy was an educator at heart, and continued to teach throughout his legal career, at the University of Maryland and the Washington College of Law, among others, and serving as a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow at Harvard Law School. Andy relished his role as a teacher, remaining in close contact with many of his former students over the years.

Throughout his life, Andy was committed to supporting justice and equity in society. He was elected Montgomery County State’s Attorney in 1970 and served for over 25 years. At one point, he was the longest serving state prosecutor in the country.  In 1996, Andy was appointed by to the then Court of Special Appeals for Maryland and served until his formal retirement in 2004.  He loved his career, his legal community, and the opportunity to serve the cause of justice, remaining active and fully retiring at age 87.

He is survived by two brothers, six children, eleven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many more extended family.

Services will be held on Friday, October 25 at 11:00 a.m. in Rockville, Maryland.  In lieu of flowers memorial donations are appreciated to the Andrew L. Sonner Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Washington College of Law.

A full obituary, additional service details, and online condolences can be found at https://www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Andrew-Larimore-Sonner?obId=33393640