Louis Fredrick Soffer passed away on September 13, 2026 in the presence of his wife and daughters after battling Parkinson’s disease for three years. Lou was born on April 12, 1939 in Philadelphia. He was the youngest of four sons of the late William and Sarah (Biderman) Soffer, who emigrated from Ukraine and successfully built a new life for themselves and their family in Philadelphia. Lou met his wife, Etta, at Lincoln High School, and they were married for 63 years at the time of his passing. He is survived by his wife, his daughters Susan Haas (Stuart) and Nanci Soffer (Ed McBride), his granddaughters Molly, Ally (Evan) and Brenna (Brett) and his great granddaughter Piper. He was predeceased by his brothers Samuel, Herman and Bernard Soffer.

Family was the most important thing in the world to Lou. Just eight days before his death, he was thrilled to attend Brenna and Brett’s wedding. His wife Etta was always by his side, whether in their twin recliners at home or as they traveled all over the US and the world. He loved cruising and his recent sailing to the Caribbean with Etta and Nanci was the latest in a long line of voyages. Lou always had a camera around his neck to take pictures of the family he loved so much, the exotic places he visited and lighthouses from all over the world.

Lou’s other great passion was his work. He earned a Bachelors in Biology and Masters and PhD in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University. He was a career civil servant, working as a Safety Engineer with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Department of the Army. After retirement from the US Government, he continued to work in the private sector for many more years. He passed his love of learning to the next generations, showing great interest and pride in the academic achievements of his children and grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to graveside services, Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 1:00 pm at Shalom Memorial Park, 3573 Pine Road, Huntington Valley, PA 19006. Following services, family and friends are invited to Etta’s home. Shiva will be observed at Etta’s home on Tuesday, at Nanci’s home on Wednesday, and at Susan’s home on Thursday. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be made to The Parkinson’s Foundation at https://www.parkinson.org/  or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at https://www.michaeljfox.org/