It is with great sadness that the Nagel family announce the passing of our beloved Sonia, on Saturday July 19, after a brave and courageous fight with an aggressive rare cancer for three and a half years.
Sonia was born in Lima, Peru to the proud parents of Humberto and Josefina Rojas on August 6, 1968. She was the youngest of seven siblings. Sonia immigrated to the United States when she was 15 years old, and her family settled in the borough of Manhattan, New York. Sonia attended Louis D. Brandeis High School with her brother in NYC. Sonia was the first in her family to attend college and graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in Manhattan.
She pursued a degree in business administration and information systems and later worked at National Bank of Canada as a bank officer in capital markets. It was here that she met her future husband James Nagel, the love of her life, and they were married August 27, 2001.
Sonia's greatest joy came from her two kids, Jacqueline and James. Some of the family's greatest memories were spent on family trips in Europe and Belize, and Sonia loved being surrounded by nature. Pound Ridge, where the family eventually settled, known for its beautiful trails and greenery, was a place very dear to Sonia's heart. She loved every minute spent in the house that she and her husband lovingly designed and the garden that she created with her very soul. Gardening was Sonia's greatest passion, and she was well known for her green thumb and love of everything living. She was an animal lover, and her fur babies were cherished and loved deeply. One of her most fervent wishes was to see them over the rainbow bridge one day. Sonia always loved music- even back in Peru, she was known for her taste in "American" hits, especially 80s rock and pop. You could often catch her bopping along to her favorite tunes while watering her plants or singing in the car. She also had a big heart. She loved to help others and would often volunteer at the local senior center to help organize events for them and to bring them laughter and joy.
Sonia touched the lives of many people, and she always selflessly put others before herself. She had strong values and lived her life honestly and with integrity. She will be missed greatly and though sooner than expected, Heaven has most definitely gained an angel. She leaves to mourn her passing: her loving husband James; two children, Jacqueline and James; her father; six siblings; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
Services have concluded.
