Stephen Samoorea

Stephen Sonit Samoorea, 57, born on May 15, 1968, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, passed away March 03, 2026 at the age of 57. Residing in Diamond Bar, CA at the time of death, Stephen leaves behind a beloved family and impact on this world. He is survived by his beloved wife Darleen, children Kaia (22), Emily (20), Matthew (19), and Elleah (8).

Stephen has led a great life of resilience and hardship, and continued to live by these values from his birth all the way to his very last moments. Born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (or Kampuchea as he always referenced) at a time of hardship and war, Stephen learned many challenges in his youth and overcame war adversaries early on. He would lose his own father at 3 years old and endure the hardships of the Khmer Rouge’s control of Cambodia in the 1970s and 1980s. By 7, Stephen and his family sought refuge in America to paint a better life for themselves and future generations. He arrived in Orange County, California by 1980, and would go on to pursue education despite the complex reality of cultural differences and knowing no English.

Stephen graduated from Orange High School in 1984. He would go on to receive his Bachelors in Computer Science at Cal State Fullerton in 1987 and a Masters in Business Administration and Finance at Cal State Dominguez Hill (1988). Stephen taught the importance of education to his children and continued to pursue it even in his final moments. Stephen would go onto work in Information Technologies (IT) Systems for 30 years. And yet, he was hopeful to continue to serve his community in new ways. After having worked for the California Public Health Department, he reimagined his passions towards public policy through higher education and pursuing two different doctoral degrees. Impressively, Stephen was finishing his final year at two distinct universities, seeking a PhD of Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies at Marywood University and a Doctorate of Health Science from Touro University. His PhD focuses were on human rights and public health policies in Cambodia, as well as the clinical implications it had on the human experience.

Although his life has ended, his presence is felt through his impact on all of the people he loved. Stephen faced many challenges, but always taught his children the importance of family and hard work. In spite of all his hardships, he never missed the chance to be playful and goofy, and always loved making others laugh. He also was someone who could strike up a conversation with anyone, creating connections and bonds with new people everywhere we went. Whether it be his tedious movie archives, the thousands of photos he captured of his life, or his lifelong collection of books and educational sources, Stephen never stopped seeking out new ideas and perspectives of the world.  His family hopes to continue his legacy and pursue some of the dreams he left unfinished, such as visiting Cambodia one day in his honor.

As per his wishes, Stephen will be laided to rest in the Honor Garden at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Covina, where we are hopeful to see him finally be at peace. We  hope you all can visit him and pay your respects in light of his passing. 

Stephen Sonit Samoorea 

May 15, 1968 - March 3rd 2026