General Information

Full Name: Sarra “Sofa” Zaytsev​
Date of Death: Wednesday, December 3, 2025

With profound sadness, our family announces the passing of Sarra Zaytsev, lovingly known as “Sofa,” who died on December 3, 2025, just five days before her 95th birthday.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Sarra lived a life defined by resilience, courage, and unwavering determination. In April 1979, she immigrated to the United States on a long and difficult journey that took many months. She rebuilt her life with strength, pride, and fierce independence. She was strong-willed, full of tough love, bright, and endlessly capable. She always insisted on doing everything herself, and she did so with grace, grit, and confidence that inspired everyone around her.

Sarra was the devoted wife of Ginkha, to whom she was married for an incredible 73 years, and would have celebrated 74 years together on December 22. She was the loving mother of Alexander, who predeceased her, and of Irina, who survives her. She was the cherished grandmother of Alexandra and Regina and the beloved great-grandmother of Marc, Andy, and Jenna. She is also survived by her sister, Alla, and extended family who hold her deeply in their hearts.

To her family, Sarra was a true force of nature. She was beautiful, loving, and selfless. Family was the center of her world, and she devoted her entire life to caring for the people she loved. She always put others first and always found the strength to do more than anyone expected. Her love, her stubborn spirit, and her unbreakable will created the foundation on which generations stand today.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 5, at 12:30 PM. Family and friends will gather to honor her life, remember her stories, and celebrate the immeasurable impact she had on all of us.

Sarra “Sofa” Zaytsev will be missed beyond words. Her memory, her strength, her warmth, her storytelling, and her fierce spirit will continue to live on in everyone who had the privilege of loving her.

Remembrance Meal to follow cemetery approximately at 3pm at:
Vernissage Restaurant
111 Wagaraw Rd, Hawthorne, NJ 07506
Friends and loved ones are welcome to join in honoring Sarra’s memory