My name is Louise "Marlene" Maurer Stein. I am a Jewish believer in Jesus since 1975 and presently live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  We attend Beth Shalom Messianic Fellowship.  

My Dad, Nathan Maurer, was Sophie's first cousin.  We lived a couple of blocks from Sophie's brother, Mark Turer, while I was growing up in Pacoima, California.  

I have been thinking about Sophie all week and happened to be reading a book called "Sophie" the week she passed away.  The book is about an Australian Cattle dog in Australia.  I have an Australian Cattle dog named "Rosy".

  Sophie and her family have been on my heart all week.  I have enjoyed the the entries in the guestbook.  Our visit to Florida in 1987 with our kids is so clear in my mind.  I remember Sophie's wonderful personality and the hospitality we received after spending time in Key West in August when there were so many mosquitos.  We were camping.  It was nice to spend a few days in an air conditioned house before finishing our vacation.

I am attaching a photo of our visit.

Louise "Marlene" Maurer Stein

To My Beloved Sister Sophie:

My heart is broken that I can't talk to you or see you.  But you are now with Jesus and you are free of pain.

Love you always,

Cookie, your younger sister

This is a bittersweet moment for me as I also lost my husband 10 1/2 months ago.

I would like to tell you about my Aunt Sophie.  

She was one of a kind.  everyone who crossed her path loved her and her passion for people.  Her laugh was infectious.  

Years back, when we had family gatherings, we would put on crazy hats and laugh hysterically at each other.

No one ever called anyone by their right name.  Cookie was Sophie, Edith was Cookie and even us cousins got each other all mixed up.

Oh yes, "Those Were the Days my Friends" as the song goes.

Her love of the Lord kept her 88 years young (almost 89).

She was also blessed with a beautiful baby boy (Great Grandson) Talan.

My love for her will never cease and she will be in my heart forever.

I love you Aunt Sophie 

Shelley

                                         SOPHIE
S - SWEET
My mother was a sweet woman.  She always made each person she met feel good about themselves.  Even strangers would walk away feeling uplifted and great about themselves.

O-OBEDIENT
My mom was a faithful servant of God.  She tried as hard as a human being could to obey her Lord and Savior.  Things that were not naturally her personality were carried out because she would know He wanted her to do these things.  She had faith and courage.

P-PRICELESS
Anyone who knew my mom would agree.  I think when God made Sophie, He broke the mold.  She had a unique way of keeping us all laughing when she was not joking.  She had her own "Sophie" language.  

She even had me believing that certain words were real in the English language.  Growing up, she always said to me, "Andrea pick up those bushies" or  "Andrea, there's a bushy on your clothes.  To me, it meant your modern day 'dust bunnies'.  When I went to college and lived out of the house the first time, I told my roommates there were bushies on the  floor.  They had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and I thought they were from outer space.  I had to get a great deal of convincing that this was not a real word

H-HETEROCLITE
The dictionary describes this word as someone that's different from the boring normal.  

A woman who once locked herself out of her house and car at the same time, decided get her daughter on the phone(me) and could not, decided to hitchhike to her daughter's house.  She coerced the driver to pick her up - declaring she would not hurt the driver because she was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mom was not a boring woman.

I-INCREDIBLE
You were a wonderful wife and mother.  When I was little, I could not understand how anyone could not live and breathe without her as a mom.  She was the one and only MOM.

E-EFFERVESCENT
She was one bubble about to burst.  She was exuberant about her family, her God, when she played games, when she conversed with people.  Just living, was exciting.

My mom was more than any S-O-P-H-I-E could be.  She was not materialistic.  The bible and her family's health and concerns meant the most to her.  She was a wonderful witness for God and never feared speaking up for Him.

Unfortunately this wonderful women has left us to meet the God she loved and took a seat at that huge dinner table in heaven.

Although I have lost my mom after losing her to the cancer devil, heaven has gained the best pot roast and potato pancake (ladke) maker the world has ever known.  She has left our lives to make the saints laugh and be loved.

I will miss my best friend always.  I love you mom

Andrea

Sophie
The spunkiest, funniest, most energetic grandma I ever met.

Sophie
Always looked amazing.  She had the most wonderful skin and always looked much younger than she was.

Sophie
Loved people.  She made everyone feel so comfortable because she was silly and friendly. 
She could strike up a conversation with a fly.

Sophie
Loved Jesus and made sure everyone knew it.  Her favorite phrase was "Praise the Lord"

Sophie
Thought everything and everyone was "Beautyful".  She was too wonderful to realize that she was the one that was "Beautyful" inside and out.

Sophie
Loved her food and she loved to stuff it in everyone's face, whether it was with her famous Pot Roast or Tuna on Bagel or her Entenman's cakes or ever her "Wow" potato chips.

Sophie
Was so brave.  Should would kill any bug that got in her way, from something as small as a spider to as large as a mouse.

Dear Sophie, (Grandma)
I love you so much and I know you will always watch over me and my family from heaven.  I will cherish all the amazing time we spent together.  I am so glad your were able to meet your great-grandson TALAN.  He will grow up knowing what an awesome, "Beautyful", funny woman you were and how much we all loved you.  

Goodbye Grandma, I will love you forever,
Love, Larissa

I missed many years in which I would have heard your encouragement and reassurances.  You were such a good listener and advisor.  Thank you for accepting me as a granddaughter.

Your humor and laugh were unforgettable.  So Unique!

I was just starting to appreciate what everyone else had the pleasure of knowing - your Radiance!

Thank you for answering my calls when you were weak, even for 20 seconds to say, Hi, Nicole, Love you Nicole, Thank you for calling."  

I will always try to make my tuna on Lender's Bagels with America Cheese like you did.  I will have to wait for a family holiday now for potato pancakes, but I will daily continue using the Yiddish words you taught me.

In Spirit, Nicole

We had the wonderful opportunity to meet Sophie who we always referred to as Andrea's mom. In the little time that we spent with her, we will always remember just how full of life she was. She was a very gracious and happy person to be around. We are sure that her presence will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Sophie is my Dad, Nathan Maurer's, 1st cousin.  My Dad passed away in 1997.  My husband, Steve, and our two sons, William and Dennis Stein, visited Sophie and family in 1987 while we were living in Texas.  We took a vacation to Florida.  We had dinner with the larger family and appreciated and enjoyed the visit very much.  We stayed overnight.  Love, Marlene (Steve, William and Dennis Stein).

Sophie was the funniest and sweetest lady!  I will miss her sense of humor and will always remember her positive attitude toward life.  I am so very glad that she was able to meet her great-grandson Talan.  I can already tell that he has inherited her infectious sense of humor and love for life.  There are so many great memories I have over the last 14 years of knowing her.  My favorite recent memory was her at 87 years old playing mini golf.  She was putting the ball all over the course.  She was hysterical.  

"WOW" gma Sophie what a great life you lived!  

You will be missed!!!

OBITUARY

Sophie Porwich

March 6, 1923 – February 11, 2012

Kraeer Funeral Home & Cremation Center

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