Biography
Sofia Assefa was born on February 12, 1962 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She was the beloved daughter of Assefa Mengesha and Turuwork Shifferaw. Sofia was the eldest from her sister’s and brother’s: Kiki (Mekdes), Seble, Girma, the late Solomon, Nani (Achamyelesh) and Samson.
As a young woman, Sofia attended the Nazareth Catholic School in Addis Ababa. She was a talented and driven student. In 1982, at just seventeen years of age, Sofia left Ethiopia to pursue her college degree in the United States. Upon her arrival, she lived with her Uncle and Aunt, Haile and Jane Mengesha in Boston, Massachusetts.
After receiving her Associates Degree from Mount Ida College in 1985, Sofia began working at Newton-Wellesley hospital as a Medical Assistant. A short time later she returned to her studies at Kansas State University. Some time later, she moved to Washington D.C. where she studied at the University of Maryland.
Nazareth Catholic School
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mount Ida College
Boston, Massachusetts
Bryman Institute
Boston, Massachusetts
In 1994, Sofia returned to Ethiopia to be close to her parents and family once again. Upon returning to Boston, she graduated from Bryman Institute and returned to work as a Medical Assistant. Sofia always put others first and made herself available to her family at anytime. Wise beyond her years, she was a dedicated & responsible daughter and sister. Sofia was a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews; Kidest and Sehin Assefa-McNeil, Yonas and Beza Esayas and Liana Samson.
Kidest
Sehin
Yonas
Liana
Beza
Sofia was an active member of the Ethiopian Community in the Boston and Cambridge area. She frequently volunteered her time at Adbar Ethiopian Women's
Alliance, translating newsletter articles into Amharic for publication as well as assisting with general office work.
Additionally, Sofia exhibited entrepreneurial efforts in marketing self-made greeting cards displaying her own art work. As she was always thinking of others, Sofia had hoped that her next endeavor
would be to teach Amharic to Ethiopian-American children.
Sofia exuded a light that shone from within her and touched all who met her throughout her short life. Her love and generosity to the people closest to her was boundless.
Sofia's greatest gifts to us are the intangible ones: the joy that radiated from her laughter, the wisdom she bestowed in her words, and the beauty and elegance she possessed both inside and
out.
Sofia Assefa was a cherished daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend and will be greatly missed by all.
In life and death we belong to God
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