Allan Jarrell Soffar

Allan Jarrell Soffar, 84, four hours short of 85, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026. He was married to Diane Judith Obenhaus on June 7, 1970. They lived in Lubbock, TX until 1974 and then moved to Houston, TX for the next 52 years. 

Allan was born in Houston on July 4, 1941 to Ben and Esther Goldie Garfinkel Soffar. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1959, the University of Texas in Austin in 1963 for his Bachelor of Arts in English, the University of Houston in 1967 for his Masters of Arts in History, and Texas Tech University in 1974 for his Ph.D. in History, at which time Allan and Diane returned back home to Houston. Their daughter Kerry Lynn was born in July 1975 and then their son David Benjamin in August 1979. Allan spent the next 34 years teaching as an adjunct professor for several community colleges in the Houston area. 

Allan was a no-nonsense man who valued action over talk, and he would not tolerate people who took liberties with the truth. Indeed, when Allan had an idea, he was committed to it and would do what was necessary to ensure its fruition. In addition, Allan placed a very high value on education, and perhaps the only thing he was prouder of than his own Ph.D. was the educational accomplishments of his children and grandsons. He always believed his children could do and be anything they wanted, and access to higher education was key to that. He was a fan of the local Houston sports teams, and would regularly peruse the newspaper for team statistics and calculate their chances of making the playoffs! He was also an avid patron of motion pictures, and perhaps his favorite weekly activity was tuning into the critical debates of Siskel and Ebert and watching the annual Academy Awards. 

Allan was preceded in death by his father Benjamin Soffar, his mother Esther Goldie Garfinkel Soffar Gamache, and his brother Charles Edward Soffar. Allan is survived by his wife of 56 years Diane Obenhaus, his daughter Kerry Lynn Kaplan (Scott), his son David Benjamin Soffar (Kathleen Wenzel), his grandsons Brayden Daniel Kaplan and Tristan Evan Kaplan, his brother William Douglas Soffar (Gail Shinbaum), his sister-in-law Rosalyn Skalrud Soffar, his nieces Pamela Beth Soffar, Stephanie Michelle Soffar, and Jill Denise Soffar, and his nephews Victor Henry Koosh (Alejandra Lopez Bonilla), Vincent Frank Koosh (Margaret Rosato), and Jonathan Brent Soffar (Kristen Acampora), as well as several grandnieces and nephews.