WEST OCEAN CITY — At the Ocean City Visitor’s Center that bears her name, a shrine was laid out for Eunice Q. Sorin, who died April 16. Melanie Pursel, executive director of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce was the first to place a message for the family on the table: a proclamation from Gov. Martin O’Malley citing Sorin for her philanthropic endeavors. He was to present it personally but the opportunity never presented itself and the citation will be passed along to the family.

“We feel very honored to have our building named after Eunice Sorin,” Pursel said. “We just wanted to do something in memoriam, as a way of healing.”

Understanding the Sorin knew so many people and that many of them aren’t familiar enough with her family to feel comfortable approaching them, the chamber set up the shrine as an outlet for people who would like to leave notes remembering Sorin fondly to her family.

“She knew so many people,” Pursel said. “And a lot of them don’t want to intrude.”

Over the course of her 87 years, Sorin was an active business community member known as much for her acumen as for her generosity. Sorin valued hard work, starting as a hairstylist working six day weeks.

In addition to her daily work as a stylist, Sorin was a familiar face on the competitive hairstyling circuit eventually winning more than 30 contests. In 1965 she was honored at the International Hairdressers Convention at the New York Hilton Hotel as the most successful hairdresser of the year. 

With her husband, Herman, Sorin opened the President Apartments in Ocean City and eventually the Nassau Hotel. From the late 1960s until his passing in 1984, Sorin took her husband’s place running the family business. She and Herman did take time for themselves, however, making frequent trips abroad.

Sorin was named Ocean City’s Citizen of the Year in 2006 based on her generosity of self, uniqueness of personality and outstanding and longstanding contributions to her community.

Friends and acquaintances are welcome to bring photos, letters or any other items they wish the family to have to the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce building on the corner of Routes 50 and 707. The gifts will be collected and presented to the family.

Behind the shrine is a wall documenting Sorin’s life and accomplishments. From her trophy marlin, to news clips and photos of her later in life.

Pursel said that although Sorin died after a long illness, given her vivacity right to the end, it was still a bit of a shock that she was actually gone.