Family of late resident spearheads memorial fund

Benefits food program for senior citizens

Posted

Olga Soren, a former resident of Oceanside and Island Park, died on Nov. 23 at age 84, and her children have started collecting money in her name to benefit homebound seniors.

Soren moved to Oceanside in 1964, where she lived along Reynolds Channel, and later resided in Island Park for several years. She moved to Far Rockaway in the 1980s, where she could still be near the ocean, which she loved, her daughter, Diane Coan, said. She was unable to cook or shop for herself, and relied on Meals on Wheels, a program that offers home-delivered food to those who have trouble leaving their house.

In place of donations for flowers at Soren’s memorial — which took place last week at Towers Funeral Home on Long Beach Road — Coan and her family started a campaign on Fundly.com aimed at helping those who depend on such meals. The initiative had garnered $1,921 from 18 donors as the Herald went to press Monday, which they plan on donating to JASA, an agency that strives to enrich the lives of aging New Yorkers.

“They were very reliable, they were there everyday…and she really appreciated it,” said Coan. “Anything that we can give back to this wonderful organization would just make us feel better, because it was her lifeline.”

Soren was born and raised in Brooklyn, where she developed a love of fashion that would last her whole life. Her mother was an Italian immigrant, and her father owned a tailor shop in Manhattan, and according to Coan, she looked “identical” to Elizabeth Taylor, a well-known British-American actress.

Because of the striking resemblance, Soren often imitated Taylor’s fashion by sowing things for herself, including her prom dress. Coan said her mother also sowed clothes for her and her brothers when they were children. She worked in the office of East Rockaway High School for a few years, and later for the New York State Workers Compensation Board.

The service honoring Soren was on Nov. 30, and family and friends came from all over the country to remember her. Coan requested for the guests to wear colorful clothing to reflect her mother’s bright personality, and instead of flowers, she and her family decorated the funeral home with Soren’s many scarves.

“Even the funeral director came in and was in awe of the room,” Coan said. “He said he’s never seen the room more personalized.”

Many shared their memories of Soren during the two-hour memorial, and pictures throughout her life were playing on television screens.

“People said that even though they didn’t know her, they felt like they knew her somewhat when they left, because we had a diverse amount of stories that showed all of her sides,” Coan said. “We were laughing and crying. It was beautiful.”

In addition to her daughter, she is survived by children David Soren, of Long Beach; Jeff Soren, of Vermont; Barry Soren, of California; and grandchildren Jared DiCroce, of Queens; Noelle Soren, of Long Beach; Sydney Soren, of Vermont; Danielle Brunell-Soren, of Florida; Zachary Soren and Sammy Soren, both of California.

The memorial fund in Soren’s name can be found at https://fundly.com/olga-soren-memorial-fund.