Sophie Lesher

Sophie Lesher, 27, was called home to her Heavenly father on Thursday, January 29th, leaving behind a legacy of faith, joy, and compassion that continues to touch the lives of countless people. Sophie’s light gleamed extraordinarily bright; she had an innate and rare ability to effortlessly brighten a room when she walked in. She was a loving, creative, hilarious, intelligent, empathetic, and beautifully down-to-earth person who embodied God’s love in a way that drew people in, made then feel seen, and inspired them to believe in something greater.

Born on January 15, 1999, Sophie grew up surrounded by love and adventure. Her family and her faith shaped her into the remarkable woman she grew to become. She graduated from Ponte Vedra High School in 2017 and went on to earn her undergraduate degree in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Florida in 2021. Sophie’s sharp intellect, creativity, and heart for service led her to work in cyber security at Compassion International, a nonprofit dedicated to helping vulnerable children and orphans around the world. Her passion for children and ministry even extended far beyond her professional life; she was deeply devoted and connected to the children at Lord Has Mercy Orphanage in Kisii, Kenya, which her family established to help feed, house, and educate 56 children.

People gravitated toward Sophie’s gentle demeanor, her sense of humor, and her charismatic yet humble spirit, all of which made her into a natural-born leader despite her aversion to attention. Her approachable personality and warm disposition made others feel better both valued and comfortable with being themselves. Always leading her life with empathy, she listened to others patiently and wholeheartedly to fully understand them and make them feel genuinely heard. It was impossible to not feel refreshed after finishing a conversation with Sophie; her vibrance, excitement for life, and joyful smile were both infectious and inspirational.

Sophie had the heart of an adventurer; she loved nothing more than exploring God’s creation, especially in the Colorado mountains. Whether it be a road trip, a backpacking adventure, or a day spent skiing, Sophie was always the first to say yes to an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors with people she loved.

Sophie was always creating something new, and this natural creativity showed early- in 5th grade, she won county, state, and national creative animator film awards. As with all of her adventures, she was not chasing recognition; she was simply having fun being herself. Sophie adored musical theatre, Disney, American Idol, and The Beatles, and was always learning new songs to belt out in the car or play on her ukulele.

Above all, Sophie’s life was anchored in a strong faith. She poured her heart into ministry and led many to Christ through her love and leadership. She served as a Young Life camp counselor volunteer, connecting youth to nature and God, and later became a Young Life Campus Youth Leader at the University of Florida. No matter what season of life she was in, Sophie’s faith remained steady, and she warmly invited others into a relationship with Christ.

Sophie is survived by her loving family: her parents, Aaron and Angela; and her sister, Caroline, and Caroline’s spouse, Luis. She is also lovingly remembered by her faithful husky, Koda, who was her best buddy and adventure companion and brought her so much joy.

Sophie’s life, though far too short, was overflowing with color. Known in her family as the rainbow girl, Sophie had a fondness for all things colorful, and rainbows seemed to frequently appear wherever she went – one of the many testaments to her endless radiance. Her family takes comfort in knowing that Sophie’s light has not gone out; her loved ones carry on her legacy of laughter, creativity, adventure, love and faith, and that light that always radiated so brightly.

A Gathering of Friends and Family will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 5th, at Quinn Shalz Funeral Home.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 6th, at The Church of Eleven 22 on Beach Blvd. 

More information about the missions that Sophie held dearest in her heart can be found at www.compassion.com  and www.lordhasmercy.org