Socorro "Loly" Largoza Sorra, MD

Dr. Socorro “Loly” Largoza Sorra, 93, passed March 17, 2026 at home surrounded by her family. She was the much-beloved wife of Antonio “Tony” C. Sorra for 68 years, seven months and three days, and cherished by her eight children, their spouses and her grandchildren.

Born September 1, 1932 to Felipé and Antonia Largoza in Manila, Philippines, she was the eighth of 10 children and was the last of them to pass. Some people are said to wear their hearts on their sleeve; Loly wore her faith on her sleeve. She loved deeply the Lord and Our Mother Mary, on whom she cast all her cares, worries, decisions, wounds and joys. She taught her husband and her children to do the same, not so much by words — though there were plenty of those — but by her life.

As a little girl, Loly was fond of Shirley Temple and the song, “On the Good Ship Lollipop,” and so earned her lifelong nickname.

Her first ambition was to become a nun. But after graduating high school, her father urged her to study medicine, reasoning that she would be a more “useful” nun if she entered religious life with a helpful skill. She was an obedient daughter, so she enrolled at the University of Santo Tomás in Manila to study pre-med and medicine.

In the summer of 1957, while in her second year of medical school, her plans for religious life were derailed completely when she met Tony Sorra. They fell madly in love and 10 months later, they eloped! It was August 14, 1957, just a year before her graduation from medical school. But graduate she did and became a pediatrician at a time and place when women were discouraged to take on any career much less a challenging one as a medical doctor.

She set up a private practice and in May 1958, she gave birth to her first daughter. She and Tony lived and worked in the Philippines for more than 12 years, raising seven children. But they realized that their children would have more opportunities if they left their beloved but poor country and moved to the United States. So in January 1970, with much trepidation in her heart, they packed up and settled in Baltimore, where Tony had secured a job as a mechanical engineer at Bethlehem Steel.

Soon after arriving, she became pregnant with her youngest child. She was 39. Her doctors detected a severe heart murmur and warned that she could die from congestive heart failure if she continued the pregnancy. They strongly urged her to terminate the pregnancy. She placed her trust in the Lord. Now that child is a pro-life ob-gyn in Maryland.

She continued to practice medicine but opted to forego a path in private practice or a demanding hospital career. Instead, in 1975, she landed a position as a pediatrician at Rosewood Medical Center. At the time, Rosewood was a state hospital for people with profound developmental and intellectual disabilities. They were very often the abandoned and unwanted, suffering multiple challenges including blindness and personality disorders. She provided skillful, compassionate and gentle care to her patients. She would sometimes bring her children to meet patients and the nurses and doctors with whom she worked. There was one special man named Tommy, who she would bring home on occasion so that her family could spend time with him for a day.

With help from friends and family, she and Tony raised their children, put them through college and saw them through their own heartaches and joys. She was the backbone of their family and faith life. Every night without fail, she gathered them together to pray the Rosary after dinner. When the family first arrived in the US, she found the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia (now called the Basilica Shrine our Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal) and began that year to make an annual family pilgrimage for Our Lady’s protection, help and blessing. The family continues that pilgrimage to this day, again without fail. In big things and in small, she reminded her children and husband that God was at the center of all.

Loly loved to travel with Tony as much as they could. Most, if not all, of their destinations had a faith-centered aspect to it. France was Lourdes before Paris. Portugal was Fatima before Algarve. Germany was the Oberammergau Passion Play before Cologne. But she did love the cruises.

When she retired, they bought a second home in Palm Coast, FL. They were snowbirds and loved to spend their time there. She loved it most when her children and their own families would visit them for a time there, too.

Although retired, she practiced medicine as long as she could, participating in medical missions in the Philippines to care for people in the most under-served, poorest areas of the country.

When she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2011, she never exhibited any fear or regret, no sense of injustice or hopelessness. As a doctor, she knew full well what it would mean. All she ever said is, Well it is God’s will.

She is survived by her husband, Tony Sorra; her 8 children, Grace Bresnick (Buddy), René Sorra (Joann), Joss Dichoso (Joe), Cathy Talerico (Guy), Cecile Sorra, Fr. Jim Sorra and Mary Ann Sorra, MD (Jack Reybold); Loly was preceded in death by her son Antonio "Butch" L. Sorra, Jr. and her son-in-law John Hallisey; her cherished grandchildren Melissa Peters (Mike), Victor Barba (Crystal), Rachel Sorra (Miguel Hernandez), Justin Sorra, Ryan Sorra, Travis Dichoso (Adam Edgerton), Joey Dichoso (Bethany), Brian Smith (Diana), Keith Smith, Marisa Talerico, Anna Talerico, Jonah Hallisey; and her adoring great grandchildren Kellen, Elliott, Marcus, Brooks, Olivia, Gabriella, Fiona, Emelia, Carmen, Lexi, and Jaden.

The family will receive friends in the LEMMON FUNERAL HOME OF DULANEY VALLEY INC., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Sunday, March 22 from 2 to 4pm and 6 to 8pm.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated in Church of The Immaculate Conception, 200 Ware Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204 on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 11am.

Interment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Loly’s memory to Gilchrist Hospice Cares, 11311 McCormick Road, Suite 350, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031 and/or Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 500 E. Chelton Ave Philadelphia, PA 19144.