Blair Graham Sondreal

Blair was born on August 6, 1953, in Grand Forks to Dr. Homer and Eunice (Hedstrom) Sondreal. For most of his life, the things that brought him the greatest joy (aside from his children, of course) were anything and everything that was “loud and dangerous.” Motorcycles, cars, buses, lawn mowers, snowblowers, and go-karts, heck, even a self-propelled sprinkler could keep him entertained.

A proud graduate of “The College of Life”, Blair was known for his kind heart, shy smile and endless sunflower seed consumption during his 40+ years of service to the City of Grand Forks, where he drove buses for Cities Area Transit (CAT).

Blair was a natural teacher, a generous sharer of knowledge, and a safe harbor for all who knew him. He met others without judgement, no matter the challenge they were facing, offering instead a steady hand, a loving heart, and wisdom that always seemed to come just at the right moment.

Blair will forever be remembered by his daughter, Amber (Josh) Hoffert of Phoenix, AZ; sons: Drake (Nicole) Sondreal and Taylor (Lindsey) Sondreal, of Grand Forks, ND; sister, Janine (Jeff) Johnson of Edina, MN; brothers: Bruce (Shelia) Sondreal of Grand Forks, ND and Barry Sondreal of Sacramento, CA; He also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren: Treyson, Graham, Lestat, Renly, Jack, Hadley and Evie, along with extended family and countless friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents: Dr. Homer Sondreal and Eunice Sondreal. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Ali Sondreal; whose memory was a constant and cherished presence in Blair’s life. We find comfort knowing Blair has finally been reunited with her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Blair’s name to the charity of your choice. Blair was always a champion for those that needed a hand up and was passionate about raising awareness around suicide prevention.

To honor his memory, treat yourself to a Salted Nut Roll, some popcorn, red licorice, or a big ‘ol handful of sunflower seeds or peanuts, just as Blair would’ve liked.

And in true Blair fashion, we’ll leave you with his signature send-off: “Okay, you can leave now.”

A Memorial Service will be held at Amundson Funeral Home at 11:00am on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.