Evanston Obituary: Emina Sofradzija, 52

Emina Sofradzija, whose sassy wit and resolute strength powered her journey through life with Down Syndrome, died at 10:16 p.m. Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston. She was 52.

Emina was born May 18, 1971, in Chicago to Edhem and Dragomira (Kraljevic) Sofradzija. Growing up in Chicago’s North Side and then Evanston, she attended Evanston-Skokie School District 65’s Park School, where she honed her innate curiosity while beginning her exploration of the larger world beyond her family home.

As she grew up, she found her adult home with Seguin Services, now known as UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago. Over more than three decades with Seguin, her one-of-a-kind persona truly blossomed. She was known for her clever, silly demeanor, and satchel of catchphrases like her bellowing “hell-OOOO” greeting, and more.

She spent her weekdays at Seguin’s Community Day Services program, where she participated in social enrichment activities and work, including her beloved paper-shredding duties. She resided at a Seguin group home in Brookfield, sharing space with several peers and staff, all of whom became her friends.

She loved dancing, music, car rides to anywhere, David Hasselhoff’s “Michael” character in the “Knight Rider” television show, snacks, people-watching, posing for pictures, and setting off too many escape alarms to count.

She was also an avid participant in Illinois Special Olympics for many years, always relishing the fun, pride, and spotlight that comes with friendly competition and a medal stand.

In recent years, she moved to the Alden Village North long-term care facility for the developmentally disabled in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, where her family was able to frequently visit, and the staff made her comfortable amid health challenges.

She is survived by her mother and her two older brothers, Haris and Omar. Her father preceded her in death.

A memorial service for Emina is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 1 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, 806 Ridge Ave. in Evanston. In memory of Emina, charitable donations may be made to UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago, 3100 S. Central Ave., Cicero, IL 60804 or ucpseguin.org/get_involved/donate.html

This obituary was provided by the Sofradzija family. The views expressed here are the author's own.