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Note: ugh she had to cease working for a time prior to and after the birth of her third child in 1932. After 1938 she worked for her father and mother at their Little Gem Restaurant until moving to San Pedro, California in 1945. Upon returning to Seaside in early 1946, Sophia was employed as manager of the Seaside Union High School Cafeteria and continued in that position until her retirement, December 23, 1964. On weekends and during the summer months, she also worked as a waitress at the Palm Beach Cafe.
When she arrived in the United States in 1915, Sophia could not speak one word of English. She learned the language and became an avid reader of newspapers, magazine and books. She also subscribed to Greek-language publications, such as the <i>Atlantis</i> monthly magazine.
In the early 1930s, she attended night school to learn about American history and government. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1931. She initially registered as a Democrat and voted four times for Roosevelt for President. But commencing with the Truman-Dewey contest in 1948, she usually voted Republican. She changed her voter registration to Republican in 1966.
She was a member of the Seaside Chapter of the Eastern Star, where she held various offices over the years.
Sophia was exceptionally tolerant of other nationalities, races and religions. She was acutely aware of the xenophobism of some native-born Americans. In the 1920s, the Klu Klux Klan was very active in Seaside. As the Klansmen marched through the streets wearing their hoods and gowns, she recognized many of the men of the town who ate in her restaurant and spoke with her on the street.
In 1977, Sophia returned to Greece for the first time since her emigration in 1915. She and the other family members who accompanied her visited Corfu, Rhodes, Crete, Athens, and many other cities and historical sites, including her family home in Methoni and her mother's birthplace in Koroni.
Note: Sophia worked in the family's restaurants in the 1920s and 1930s, altho
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