Maria Aithne Lefkow Sorensen

Maria Aithne Lefkow Sorensen died unexpectedly from natural causes on Sunday, June 22 while on vacation with her family in Florida. Maria had zero qualms telling anyone that would listen that she hated virtually everything about Florida. She had an uncanny ability to weave her grievances about Florida into virtually any conversation; so much so everyone that knew Maria knew she did NOT like Florida.

It all likely started when the first of her three younger sisters was born in Florida at a time when Maria was just realizing the perks of being an only child. Nor was Maria shy about expressing her disdain for Florida’s weather and the touristy nature of its planned communities with chain restaurants, strip malls and track homes. In 2008, Florida experienced a short-lived renaissance when it went blue for Barack Obama, only to plummet to “I will never step foot in that godforsaken state again” status due to its current elected officials seemingly afraid of equity and inclusion, dismissal of climate change and its uncanny ability to rationalize unchristian beliefs under the guise of Christianity when it suits them.

As passionate as Maria was about Florida, she was infinitely more passionate about her children and putting the needs of others ahead of her own so when faced with the moral dilemma between making her kids deliriously happy by vacationing at Disney World or continuing to avoid a climate she deplored (figuratively and literally), Maria chose Disney. Maria enjoyed four wonderful days with her dear family on this bittersweet vacation before her vivacious spirit left this earth.

Maria was born in Madrid, Spain, the first daughter of Joan Humphrey Lefkow and Michael Francis Lefkow. She grew up in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, attending high school at St. Ignatius College Prep and receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Maria lived and worked in Chicago for most of her adult life, where she met her husband of 19 years, Erik Paul Sorensen. She poured her heart and soul into raising their three children, Luke, Brandon, and Sydney, whom she loved dearly. She was tireless in her efforts to show her children love while demonstrating how to love wholly and to effect positive change in this world.

Maria absolutely loved being a mother, an aunt and a friend. Her middle name, “Aithne,” means “little fire.” The name was apt because of her warmth, charisma, and vitality. Everywhere she went, she made friends whom she cherished throughout her life. She was loyal and selfless in all her relationships with an infectious personality that people simply wanted to be around.

After a highly successful career in the for-profit business sector, she shifted her career to non-profit where she realized her dream of aligning her career with her passion for equity and the betterment of the world. She first joined the development team at Chicago Jesuit Academy, then went to Noble Charter as the Chief Development Officer, and ultimately as the Executive Director of the Dewan Family Foundation. She created a career path that afforded her the opportunity to align her passion for education and equity to directly support better educational resources for less advantaged students and communities.

Maria was never happier than when her passion for education and the environment came together with the Dewan Family Foundation which focuses heavily on providing educational resources and support to underserved communities along with a firm commitment to the environment. She was thrilled to be just weeks away from a two-week trip to Zambia to visit schools in which the Dewan Foundation had installed solar panels to address critical energy needs that were limiting educational opportunities.

Maria is survived by her husband, Erik Sorensen, her three children, Luke, Brandon and Sydney, her mother, Joan Humphrey Lefkow, her sisters Duschia Bodet (Paul), Helena Lefkow (Jake, former spouse), Laura Lefkow-Hynes (Edward), and Margaret Kalish (Alex), her aunts Susan Lefkow (Michael), Frances Lefkow, Judith Humphrey Smith, her uncle Robert Lefkow, her mother in law Donna Sorensen, her sister in law Kimberly Kolar (Scott) as well as her beloved nieces and nephews Bailey, Parker, Paul, Duschia, Gabrielle, Jack, Molly, Rose, Campell, Anthony, Teddy, William and Vincent. She was preceded in death by her father.

Maria believed all efforts mattered, including placing a reminder in her email signature alerting readers that “10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than restarting.” She would encourage you to avoid single use-plastics in all cases, to always carry a reusable water bottle, to compost everything that can be composted, to bring Diet Coke on all vacations in case it’s a Pepsi resort and to contact your energy company to switch to wind and solar energies.

A celebration will be held later this fall to honor Maria. In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging donations to Chicago Jesuit Academy, a school with a mission Maria cherished. https://www.chicagojesuitacademy.org/support-us/ways-to-give/donate-now/