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December 22, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, December 30, 2017 from 11AM-2PM at the VanderMay Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM following the visiting hours.
James “Jim” Sofis, age 95 of Manchester passed away peacefully on December 22, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.
Jim was born in New York City to Constantine and Esmeralda Sofianides. He lived in Wood-Ridge and Wayne before moving to Manchester 21 years ago. Jim graduated from Rutherford HS with the class of 1940. After High School graduation, Jim enrolled at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. He studied there for two years. With a desire to serve and protect his country like many others, he dropped out of college and enlisted in the United States Army to serve during WWII. Jim was a rifleman and Draftsman, he was assigned to the 104th Infantry, 415th regiment. He was stationed in Europe where he fought very honorably and courageously, receiving two Purple Hearts, two Battle Stars, as well as the Combat Infantry Badge. Like many men returning from war, Jim didn’t speak much about his experiences, but it was clear that his service during the war played a profound role in his life.
After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Jim earned a position as a tool designer for the Bendix Corporation in Teterboro, which later became known as Honeywell Industries. Jim worked there for forty two years until his retirement in 1989. Following his retirement, Jim was not the type of man to sit still, he continued to work part time for a company called Rickett Benckiser in the R&D labs for three years. Again, Jim felt the urge to retire and then moved to Leisure Village West in Manchester in 1996.
Following his service during World War II and amid his first few years working for Bendix Corporation, Jim met a lovely young women by the name of Nina Macredy. They dated for a short time and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married in 1952. They settled in Wood-Ridge for a time then eventually moved to Wayne in 1963. They would call Wayne their home for many years to come and would raise their two daughters and son there. Jim cherished twenty-five years of a loving and loyal marriage together until Nina’s passing. Jim eventually fell in love again and remarried a women named Bernice Wickersheim. Jim cherished another twenty five years of marriage to his second wife until her passing in 2011.
Jim was a member of the VFW in Manchester where he was very active for a while. He also loved to travel. He has been to just about every corner of the globe including memorable trips to China, Russia, Thailand, Sweden, England, Greece, Turkey, and Ireland, as well as traveling to the Caribbean on various cruise lines. Jim also enjoyed bowling in local leagues in his area and after his second wife passed away, took routine trips to Atlantic City where he enjoyed playing poker and socializing with many friends he made during his trips there. Jim was caring and generous and was the type of person that everyone liked.
Jim knew the Lord and was extremely devoted to his Christian Faith. Above all of Jim’s hobbies, talents and interests, he had a great love for his family. He was a devoted husband and a loving father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He cherished the time he spent with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, nothing was more important to him. Jim was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Jim is survived by two daughters; Ginnie Palumbo and her husband Jimmy of Wayne, Irene Myers of Wayne, one son Stephen Sofis and his wife Jill of Vernon, one brother; Dr. Thomas Sofianides and his wife Anna of Tenafly and their daughter Catherine Sofianides, five grandchildren; Jessica Myers, Kimberly Myers, Jamie Sofis, Cassandra Sofis, and Erika Sofis, 2 great grandchildren; Dante Ferreira, and Madison Myers, and many nieces and a cousin. Jim is also survived by 6 step-children and 16 step grandchildren whom he loved very much, from his second wife Bernice. He was predeceased by his first wife Nina Macredy, and his second wife Bernice Wickersheim in 2011. Jim was also predeceased by his two sisters Clara Wassel and Faye Nicholiades in 2008.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, December 30, 2017 from 11AM-2PM at the VanderMay Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM following the visiting hours.
December 22, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday, December 30, 2017 from 11AM-2PM at the VanderMay Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd, Wayne, NJ. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM following the visiting hours.
James “Jim” Sofis, age 95 of Manchester passed away peacefully on December 22, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.
Jim was born in New York City to Constantine and Esmeralda Sofianides. He lived in Wood-Ridge and Wayne before moving to Manchester 21 years ago. Jim graduated from Rutherford HS with the class of 1940. After High School graduation, Jim enrolled at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. He studied there for two years. With a desire to serve and protect his country like many others, he dropped out of college and enlisted in the United States Army to serve during WWII. Jim was a rifleman and Draftsman, he was assigned to the 104th Infantry, 415th regiment. He was stationed in Europe where he fought very honorably and courageously, receiving two Purple Hearts, two Battle Stars, as well as the Combat Infantry Badge. Like many men returning from war, Jim didn’t speak much about his experiences, but it was clear that his service during the war played a profound role in his life.
After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Jim earned a position as a tool designer for the Bendix Corporation in Teterboro, which later became known as Honeywell Industries. Jim worked there for forty two years until his retirement in 1989. Following his retirement, Jim was not the type of man to sit still, he continued to work part time for a company called Rickett Benckiser in the R&D labs for three years. Again, Jim felt the urge to retire and then moved to Leisure Village West in Manchester in 1996.
Following his service during World War II and amid his first few years working for Bendix Corporation, Jim met a lovely young women by the name of Nina Macredy. They dated for a short time and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married in 1952. They settled in Wood-Ridge for a time then eventually moved to Wayne in 1963. They would call Wayne their home for many years to come and would raise their two daughters and son there. Jim cherished twenty-five years of a loving and loyal marriage together until Nina’s passing. Jim eventually fell in love again and remarried a women named Bernice Wickersheim. Jim cherished another twenty five years of marriage to his second wife until her passing in 2011.
Jim was a member of the VFW in Manchester where he was very active for a while. He also loved to travel. He has been to just about every corner of the globe including memorable trips to China, Russia, Thailand, Sweden, England, Greece, Turkey, and Ireland, as well as traveling to the Caribbean on various cruise lines. Jim also enjoyed bowling in local leagues in his area and after his second wife passed away, took routine trips to Atlantic City where he enjoyed playing poker and socializing with many friends he made during his trips there. Jim was caring and generous and was the type of person that everyone liked.
Jim knew the Lord and was extremely devoted to his Christian Faith. Above all of Jim’s hobbies, talents and interests, he had a great love for his family. He was a devoted husband and a loving father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He cherished the time he spent with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, nothing was more important to him. Jim was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Jim is survived by two daughters; Ginnie Palumbo and her husband Jimmy of Wayne, Irene Myers of Wayne, one son Stephen Sofis and his wife Jill of Vernon, one brother; Dr. Thomas Sofianides and his wife Anna of Tenafly and their daughter Catherine Sofianides, five grandchildren; Jessica Myers, Kimberly Myers, Jamie Sofis, Cassandra Sofis, and Erika Sofis, 2 great grandchildren; Dante Ferreira, and Madison Myers, and many nieces and a cousin. Jim is also survived by 6 step-children and 16 step grandchildren whom he loved very much, from his second wife Bernice. He was predeceased by his first wife Nina Macredy, and his second wife Bernice Wickersheim in 2011. Jim was also predeceased by his two sisters Clara Wassel and Faye Nicholiades in 2008.
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