Following is the obituary for SOPHIE COQUAZ, submitted for her family by the Harding Funeral Home.

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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sophie Coquaz, 52, of Westport, on Jan. 28, 2025. Sophie passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family and friends.

Sophie was born on Aug. 25, 1972, in Valence, France, to Jean and Danielle Coquaz, and grew up in southeast France, along the coasts of River Rhône. She studied economics and attended the University of Lyon, as well as University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

In 1994, Sophie decided to cross the pond to pursue her master’s degree at the University of Delaware, before moving farther north to New York and Connecticut, to start her professional life and meet her future husband, Emmanuel.

They got married in 2001, with their weddings in both France and Greece, and in 2005, they relocated to London for career opportunities. They spent a fabulous five years there, highlighted by the birth of their four amazing children, before returning to New York.

Sophie worked for Thomson Reuters in commercial and legal operations positions for 24 years, until she joined Estée Lauder in 2020, where she was the vice president of the Office of General Counsel and Legal Operations. Throughout her professional career, Sophie exemplified excellence, dedication, integrity and sincere care for the people she was working with.

Sophie devoted her life to being an amazing human being, a wife, a mother, building a family of which she was always proud. She enjoyed spending time with them, traveling to France and Greece for summer holidays, where she loved reconnecting with her family and friends, as well as enjoying local customs and delicacies. Years after her classes of classic dance, she still had the unmistakable grace of a ballet dancer.

Sophie is survived by her husband, Emmanuel Saounatsos; her children, Zélie, Madeleine, Aurel and Sidonie; her mother, Danielle; brother, Régis; nephews, Mahel and Antoine, and niece, Alice.

Sophie’s smarts, humility, smile and kindness will be deeply missed, but will forever be cherished by those who knew her.

A wake will be held at Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Road East, on Saturday, Feb. 1, between 2 and 6 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in honor of Sophie Coquaz to the Regional Hospice in Danbury.