Obituary of Sophie Fortuniewicz

You can only have one mother
Gone from us that smiling face,
The cheerful pleasant ways,
The heart that won so many friends,
In bygone, happy days.

A life made beautiful by kindly deeds,
A helping hand for others’ needs.
To a beautiful life,
Comes a happy end,
She died as she lived,
Everyone’s friend.

Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.

Sophie Fortuniewicz, 82, left this earth on July 6, 2021, after a courageous and long battle with cancer. It would be wrong to say that Sophie lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. When anyone else would have broken, Sophie stayed strong and always had a smile to share. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance truly look like. 

Sophie was born September 11, 1938 in Chadorki, Poland.  She married her husband, Stanislaw, on December 6, 1958. They immigrated to New York and settled in Yonkers.  Sophie was a cook at the Polish Community Center in Yonkers, where for over 45 years, her homestyle meals fed hundreds of thousands of patrons. Besides cooking, Sophie enjoyed baking, gardening, traveling, church, and spending time with family and friends.

Sophie is predeceased by her husband, Stanislaw, and three sons, Stanley II, George, and Matthew.  She is survived by her children: John Fortuniewicz, Paul Fortuniewicz (Linda Fortuniewicz), Richard Fortuniewicz (Debbie Fortuniewicz), Christopher Fortuniewicz (Bonnie Fortuniewicz), Mary Kovalik, Regina Fortuniewicz (Michael Figueroa), and Elizabeth Macur (Robert Gentile). Grandchildren: Janine, Lindsay, Jessica, PJ, Matthew, Hailie, Sophia, Kristen, Shaun and Daniel and great grandchildren: Gianna, Jayden, Aaliyah, Mariah, and Layla.

Visitation will be held at the Community Home for Funerals (601 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers NY) on Thursday July 8, 2021 from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 9, 2021 at St. Casimir's Church.