Sophia V. Tsiokos
June 29, 1936 ~ July 2, 2023
Sophia V. Tsiokos, age 87, died on Sunday, July 2, 2023 in Pawling, NY. She was born June 29, 1936 in Plaka on the island of Limnos, Greece, to Basil and Adrianna Vlachos.
In Limnos, Sophia grew up listening to stories about America and Newburgh, NY, the birthplace of her older siblings, Despina and Jimmy Vlachos. Years after Jimmy had returned to live in Newburgh, Sophia visited him in 1967-1968 and decided she wanted to move there as well. Returning to Greece, she met Dimitrios Tsiokos, and she agreed to marry him on the condition that the couple relocate to Newburgh. They married in 1969 and, as agreed, settled in Newburgh, where they started a family. They celebrated 36 years of marriage until Dimitrios' passing in 2005.
Sophia was devoted to her sons Costa and Basil and was so proud of their accomplishments. She was excited when Costa moved back to Newburgh from Florida to assist her and loved cooking Greek food with Basil. In addition to raising her two sons, Sophia worked as a short order cook at Anna's Restaurant on Broadway in Newburgh for several years, followed by a stint as a garment worker at a coat factory until she retired. Sophia loved cooking and baking, knitting, reading, socializing with and making Greek coffee for her friends and family, watching Greek soap operas (especially ?p???s??!) and game shows, and was a longtime, active member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and its St. Nicholas Ladies Society.
Sophia is predeceased by her loving husband Dimitirios, her brother Jimmy and her sister-in-law Dimitra Vlachos. She is survived by her sons, Costa Tsiokos of Newburgh, NY, and Basil Tsiokos, of Los Angeles, CA; niece, Adrianna Vlachos, her husband Greg Schatz, and their sons Dimitri Schatz and Michael Schatz, of New York/Florida; nephew, Basil Vlachos and his sons James Vlachos and Brandon Ostrowski, of Newburgh, NY; sisters, Despina Scholidis of Athens, Greece and Elli Papamanolis of Limnos, Greece; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins in Greece and the US, as well as an expansive community of friends and extended family.
Family and friends are invited to Brooks Funeral Home, 481 Gidney Avenue, Newburgh, NY from 4-7 PM on Friday, July 7, to pay their respects, remember, and celebrate Sophia's life. The funeral will be held at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 19 Fullerton Avenue, Newburgh, NY at 10 AM on Saturday, July 8. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, New Windsor.
If desired, friends and family may make memorial contributions to Sophia's church, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 19 Fullerton Avenue (P.O. Box 2004), Newburgh, NY 12550.