Joyce Adelstein Sonn died peacefully in her sleep Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

Joyce was the daughter of the late Hyman Adelstein and the late Ruth Lander, dear sister of the late Gene Adelstein (Ellen), life partner of Bob Brandhorst, dear aunt, great-aunt, cousin, beloved neighbor, friend and teacher/job developer for 100s of young St. Louisans.

She graduated from Clayton High School in 1963, obtained an Elementary School Teaching Certificate in 1971, and a Masters in City Planning from SLU. She lived in the Soulard neighborhood since 1968. She led the effort to prevent its demolition and create the Soulard Historic District while working to prevent the displacement of the neighborhood’s low and moderate income households.

She was a leader of the Soulard Neighborhood Improvement Association, a founder of Youth, Education, and Health in Soulard (YEHS), the Soulard Girl’s Club, YouthBuild St. Louis, and the Soulard Senior Citizen’s Center. Joyce’s slogans “Soulard is its people” and “Preserve the Historic Economic and Ethnic Mix” truly embody her life passions. Joyce’s kind and caring nature resulted in her being loved by many people.

Services: A celebration of her life will be held in September in Soulard details to be announced in September. Charitable donations in her name can be made to YEHS, a 501c3 charity, att: Charlotte, 1924 South 12th St, St. Louis, Mo. 63104, 314-436-1400.