Jeremiah Soifer, Who Captured and Chronicled Five Decades of Local History, Passes at 80

In Memorium Jeremiah Soifer

Editor’s Note: Since taking ownership of the Sentinel as the world turned upside down with the advent of the pandemic, we immediately learned and benefited from one constant: the outstanding journalistic efforts of Jeremiah Jerry, “Scoop” Soifer. His encyclopedic knowledge of all things local, including his endless contacts, insights, and perspectives, breathed life into our coverage of events not experienced in a century. As a fourth-generation, fifty-year newsman, Iʻve had the great fortune of working alongside the finest broadcast and print photojournalists coast-to-coast. Jerryʻs eye was top shelf. His final submissions for the April 25th issue demonstrated the breadth of his love for this community, from a page one photo of the Corona Music and Arts Festival to the sports page photo of top-ranked Corona High baseball. For only five years, Iʻve relished receiving Jerryʻs weekly submissions. Iʻve counted on them. For five decades, local readers have relished the fruits of his labor of love. Jerryʻs colleague and dear friend, Cindy Rhodes, honors us with this remembrance. Thank you Jerry, we miss you, and may you Rest in Peace. ~Jim Forbes, Publisher.

By Cindy Rhodes

Jerry Soifer, who recorded the history of Inland Empire life from behind his camera lens for nearly 50 years, died on April 30 at his home in Corona. He was 80.

Jeremiah Soifer. Norco Soccer 1984 — Norco Soccer 1984

An award-winning journalist in both writing and photography, most people affectionately knew him as “Scoop” because if it happened in Corona, Norco or Eastvale, you could count on Soifer’s story the next morning.

The late Jerry “Scoop” Soifer, followed by Sentinel photographer Gary Evans, walks the south end zone at the Paradise, NV, Allegiant Stadium as the Raiders take on the visiting Green Bay Packers in 2023. Besides being a giant in covering Corona-Norco High school sports for decades, Soifer was a photographer of the Raiders as the team moved from Los Angeles to Oakland and Las Vegas. Credit: Photo by Rachel Brown — The late Jerry “Scoop” Soifer, followed by Sentinel photographer Gary Evans, walks the south end zone at the Paradise, NV, Allegiant Stadium as the Raiders take on the visiting Green Bay Packers in 2023.

Besides being a giant in covering Corona-Norco High school sports for decades, Soifer was a photographer of the Raiders as the team moved from Los Angeles to Oakland and Las Vegas. Photo by Rachel Brown

Soifer, right of center, scans the Norco High Class of 1984 graduation ceremonies.

The bulk of Soifer’s career was spent at the Press-Enterprise, covering news and sports in Western Riverside County. He never needed a physical office, because you could always find him around town – lunch at Mr. You’s, Norco High football practice or the Corona Airport watching planes and sipping on a Diet Coke.

Jerry Soifer shoots the 2019 CIF baseball championship game from the photographer’s well at Dodger Stadium. In the classic title tilt, Norco fell to Rancho Santa Margarita in 12 innings. Credit: Photo by Gary Evans — Jerry Soifer shoots the 2019 CIF baseball championship game from the photographer’s well at Dodger Stadium. In the classic title tilt, Norco fell to Rancho Santa Margarita in 12 innings. Photo by Gary Evans

Jeremiah Lee Soifer was born in Washington D.C. on Sept. 3, 1944. Like most boys of that era, he collected baseball cards and listened to his favorite teams on the radio. He graduated from UCLA in 1967 and worked as a news assistant at the Los Angeles Times, until joining the Corona-Norco Independent in 1979. When the Press-Enterprise bought the Independent, Soifer was given a job with the larger paper.

Jerry Soifer has the attention of former Stanford and Raiders great, quarterback Jim Plunkett, during the Raiders contest against the Green Bay Packers at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, NV, on October 12, 2023. Credit: Gary Evans — Jerry Soifer has the attention of former Stanford and Raiders great, quarterback Jim Plunkett, during the Raiders contest against the Green Bay Packers at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, NV, on October 12, 2023. Gary Evans

Although he covered everything from breaking news to stories on everyday people, his speciality and passion was high school sports. People marveled at his old-school ways of reporting, writing and taking memorable photos on a newspaper’s deadline. No sport was too obscure as he shot Little League baseball with the same professionalism he reserved for the NFL.

J & G (left shooting) Norco softball 2011) — Jerry Soifer & Gary Evans (left shooting) Norco softball 2011)

Current and former area athletes would constantly stop to thank Soifer for a photograph he took of them or coverage of their high school team back in the day. Soifer was not only gracious but usually remembered the athlete, his school and his sport.

Jerry Soifer at Dodger Stadium for the classic 2019 CIF baseball championship game in which Rancho Santa Margarita topped Norco in 12 innings. Credit: Photo by Gary Evans — Jerry Soifer at Dodger Stadium for the classic 2019 CIF baseball championship game in which Rancho Santa Margarita topped Norco in 12 innings. Photo by Gary Evans

He also became a quiet advocate for Title IX, the 1972 law that protects gender equity in federally-funded sports. Soifer loved softball and even coached a lower level Corona High team one season. He was always seen at girls high school sports from volleyball to wrestling to flag football.

Longtime Corona resident and Panthers athlete Karen Lloyd said Soifer’s coverage helped girls sports grow in the area. “During my years, he had articles and photos in the Daily Independent twice a week,” said Lloyd, who played from 1979-82. “It was wonderful for young girls to get so much press.”

Jerry Soifer at the old Corona High softball field, now the Historic Civic Center. Longtime Corona High softball coach Linda Chitwood, stands behind him.

Still, it was football that shaped his career. He was a member of the photo pool for the Oakland-Los Angeles-Las Vegas Raiders for 35 years. He shot a number of professional teams, including the Lakers, Dodgers, Angels and Galaxy.

Jerry Soifer walking in the Las Vegas Raiders tunnel at Allegiant Stadium, while covering the Raiders game versus the Green Bay Packers on October 12, 2023.

Soifer had photographs in the Raiders newsletter and often took pictures of players and staff and gifted them to the person without any fanfare. Pictures he has taken have been published in Bo Jackson’s autobiography ‘Bo Knows Bo’, Ebony Magazine, NFL Prolog magazine, NFL Gameday, The Dallas Morning News and Western Outdoor News.

A celebration of life is being planned for the end of May.

Jerry Soifer scouting his next shot at the 2019 CIF baseball championship game between Norco and Rancho Santa Margarita Credit: Photo by Gary Evans — Jerry Soifer scouting his next shot at the 2019 CIF baseball championship game between Norco and Rancho Santa Margarita. Photo by Gary Evans

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