Elaine ‘Lainey’ Sokol
SOKOL: Elaine “Lainey” Sokol, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on Aug. 10, 2026, at age 94. Born on June 7, 1932, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lainey carried her warmth and love of family with her throughout a life that spanned Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and most recently Phoenix, Arizona. Lainey was the cherished daughter of the late Lillian and Benjamin Cohn (z”l) and the beloved wife of the late Joseph Sokol (z””l), with whom she shared 55 loving years of marriage. he is survived by her loving and devoted children: Rochelle “Shelley” Daniels; Fern Hast-Murphy (Robert Murphy) and Jeffrey (Jill) Sokol. She was a proud and loving Grammie to Lauren (Brandon) Tauberg; Ethan Daniels (Oliver Solomon); Ryan (Amy); Brandon (Amanda) Hast; Meghan Murphy, Logan Murphy, Samantha Sokol and Amanda Sokol; and great-Grammie to Hayden and Hudson Tauberg; and Ella, Era and Ali Hast. Lainey loved her Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel and was and devoted patron of the arts. As a subscriber of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, she treasured visiting Heinz Hall for the performing arts. Classical music brought her immense joy and remained one of the defining passions of her life. After moving to Pittsburgh in the mid-1960s, Lainey dedicated herself to volunteer work with organizations supporting individuals with special needs. Her compassion, generosity and dedication touched many lives and reflected the kindness that defined her character. Lainey will be remembered for her warm and welcoming nature, style, compassion, deep love of her family and her lifelong Philadelphia accent. Visitation with family and friends will be held on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., 5509 Centre Avenue, Shadyside, followed by a procession to Beth Shalom Cemetery for 12:30 p.m. graveside services. Contributions in memory of Elaine Sokol may be directed to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Hospice of the Valley (Phoenix, AZ), or a charity of the donor’s choice. May her memory forever be a blessing. schugar.com PJC
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