Dr. John (Ioannis) Nikolaos Sofos entered eternal rest on November 29, 2024, at the age of 76, after celebrating a final Thanksgiving with his family.
John was born in the aftermath of World War II during the Greek Civil War in the remote mountain village of Arachnaion in Argolida, Greece. These formative years would shape his worldview - emphasizing love and compassion for all and instilling humility, determination, and resilience in every endeavor he pursued. A true “levendis,” John embodied nobility, bravery, and charisma, inspiring admiration from everyone who met him. Though a man of few words, his sharp wit made those words resonate.
John displayed a keen intellectual curiosity, and with the support of his parents, he left home at the age of 12 to pursue his secondary education in Argos. He went on to earn a B.S. in Agriculture from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1971). After mastering the English language from scratch in just four months, he began graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, where he received a M.S. in Animal Science (1975) and a Ph.D. in Food Science (1979).
While serving in the Hellenic Army he met his future wife Helen (Eleni), to whom he was deeply devoted to throughout their 46-year marriage. In 1980, they settled in Fort Collins, Colorado, where they raised their two daughters and where John began his 35-year faculty career at Colorado State University (CSU), ultimately becoming a University Distinguished Professor. Together, John and Helen were known for their warm Greek “philoxenia” and love of entertaining. As a father, John was the quintessential girl dad. He encouraged their lifelong learning, and most importantly, always told his daughters how much he loved them.
John was a world-renowned food microbiologist who dedicated his career to ensuring the safety of our global food supply. He lectured and published extensively on ecology, detection, resistance, and control of bacterial pathogens in foods. He also served on numerous national and international committees, task forces, and food safety advisory boards. These included chairing the Panel on Biological Hazards of the European Food Safety Authority, serving on the U.S. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, and as President of the newly established Governing Council of the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece.
For almost two decades, John also served as a Scientific Editor for the Journal of Food Protection (JFP) and a Science Advisor for the Denver District Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He was a Fellow of the Institute of Food Protection (IFP), the American Academy of Microbiology, the Institute of Food Technologists, the American Society of Animal Science, and the American Meat Science Association. Amongst his many accolades, he received the USDASecretary’s Superior Service Award, the North American Meat Processors Association Educator Award, the CSU Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award, and the CSU College of Agricultural Sciences Distinguished Career Award. The IFP John N. Sofos Most-cited JFP Research and Review Publication Award was named in his honor.
Always appreciative of the guidance of his own mentors, John found his calling as an educator, serving on 103 graduate committees - 61 of which he chaired or co-chaired – and fostering a collaborative research environment with his colleagues. He also hosted postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and visiting scholars from 30 countries, including the United States, in his laboratory. They now hold industry, academic and government positions around the world.
Beyond his public service professionally, he gave back to his community every chance he could. John served on the Parish Council of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Denver and co-founded the Hellenic American Cultural Association of Colorado.
In addition to his wife Helen, he is survived by his daughters Marina and Elvera (Josh), grandsons Ioannis “Yiannis” and Alexandros, as well as his three younger siblings (Anastasios, Marigo, and Vasiliki) and numerous nephews and nieces. He will be buried in Greece alongside his parents Nikolaos and Marina, grandparents, and great grandparents. A celebration of John’s life will take place in Fort Collins at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in John’s memory to The Hellenic Initiative (https://thehellenicinitiative.org/donate-now/) – a global movement of the Greek Diaspora investing in the future of Greece through programs focused on economic revitalization and crisis relief.
Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη – may his memory be eternal
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