Presvytera Sophronia Nickolaou Tomaras passed away on June 21, 2007 after a brief battle with lung cancer. Presvytera was born January 14, 1930 in Chicago to Charles (Kyriakos) and Alexandra Nickolaou. She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Fr. Anthony Tomaras, daughter Irene Supica, son Charles (Kyriakos), son-in-law Fr. Stephen Supica, two granddaughters Sophronia and Elizabeth, her sister Mary Bolas and many nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
Presvytera graduated from the Koraes Greek American Parochial School in Chicago in 1943. She earned a B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1948 at the age of 18. She received B.E. and M.E. degrees from the University of Puget Sound in 1964 and 1970, and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 1980.
She married seminarian Euripides Anthony Tomaras in 1956. They lived in Greece 2 1/2 years during her husband's theological studies at the University of Athens, after which Fr. Anthony was ordained in Chicago. They moved to Oakland where Father Anthony served as assistant priest, and then to Tacoma, Washington, in 1960, serving at St. Nicholas Church until 1979, and then at the All Saints Camp and Retreat Center until 1990. In 1979, she and Fr. Anthony started the St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Mission Church in Pasco, Washington, to which they traveled twice monthly until 2000. They estimated they drove 360,000 miles in service to the Mission Church.
Presvytera's professional career was at the Tacoma Public Schools. For 26 years she was an elementary teacher, a research assistant, a senior editor of the district's curriculum tests and a director in staff development for the Office of Research and Evaluation, retiring in 1989.
Presvytera's true calling was in service to the church. Over the years, Presvytera taught Sunday School, played the organ, and conducted icon painting education for both adults and children. She chaired the Diocesan Religious Education Commission for many years, visiting parishes and conducting seminars for church school teachers. She was on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan National Curriculum Committee, for which she authored Called By God and Peer Pressure. She authored the annual Teachers' Planbook/Lectionary for the Archdiocese Department of Religious Education. She translated 80 hymns into English for her groundbreaking hymnal The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
She impacted hosts of people with her loving acceptance, knowing their weaknesses yet loving them unconditionally. Her faith was strong and sure, leading her as she guided others in so many ways. She followed her faith and gave thanks to God for the good and the bad. Her response to adversity was always, "Thank God, and expect good to come of it." May her memory be eternal!
Sophronia was buried on June 26, 2007
in the Greek Orthodox section of
Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery Seattle, WA
(see aerial map link below)
Donations in her memory may be made to:
St. Nectarios Church
627 W. Bonneville St.
Pasco, WA 99301
