John Douglas Sofie—husband, father, grandpa and friend to all—passed away Jan. 28, 2020. Our aching hearts grieve his passing but are full of gratitude for his life.

John was born on Dec. 5, 1944, in Bremerton, Wash. His father, Austin, was from a pioneer Sequim family; his mother, Marcia Morton, came from the Tracyton/Silverdale area. His dad's job as a plumber took the young family all over the state, including sojourns in Wenatchee and Richland, where Austin worked at Hanford.

In 1959 the family settled in North Seattle, where John attended Ingraham High School. He joined the Navy in 1963, heading off to boot camp in California with a buddy.

Home in Seattle for a visit, he got up the nerve to ask that buddy's sister, Cheryl Phillips, out for ice cream. It must have been some incredible dish of sherbet, because John and Cheryl spent the next 56 years together.

John served in the Navy for four years as a boiler technician on board the USS Ticonderoga and the USS Constellation. In fact, he was in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964 during the Gulf of Tonkin incident.

His work in the Navy led to a career as a steam engineer with the Port of Seattle, and he worked at SeaTac Airport for over 30 years.

John and Cheryl married in 1969. Son Eric was born in 1971, and Jason joined them in 1974. They raised the boys in Shoreline, where John began his other long career: helping people. He was everyone's favorite neighbor because he was always ready with a helping hand, a strong arm and a generous spirit.

After waving Jason off to college, John and Cheryl promptly sold the house and moved to Harbour Pointe in Mukilteo in 1993. Famous for his friendliness and ability to talk to anyone, John quickly became known as the unofficial Mayor of One Club House Lane. Their house on the corner was well known for his over-the-top Halloween decorations and his enthusiasm for having fun with (and scaring) trick-or-treaters.

Mukilteo, in turn, waved John and Cheryl goodbye when they moved to Camano Island's Elger Bay in 2009. Cheryl's parents had bought the property there in the 1950s, so the couple had enjoyed the spot overlooking the bay since they were dating. They'd had a summer cabin there for years, but after retirement, they decided to make it their permanent home. So they built a beautiful house on the bluff, with a sweeping view up above and a slice of beach down below. John immediately got to work building a shed on the beach where he could relax with fresh crab and a beer and—what else? Make friends!

John enjoyed traveling—including annual stays in Palm Desert and trips to Las Vegas to visit son Jason. He loved crabbing, boating and riding his motorcycle (usually with Cheryl on the back).

But what he really, really loved was helping people. He'd mow the neighbors' lawns because, he said, "Well, they only come up to the island on the weekends, and they don't want to spend their time mowing!" He helped people chop wood and clear property. He offered up his skills, equipment and time—and never with any fuss. He would just see a need and step in to meet it.

He was a social butterfly, always quick with a smile and his giant laugh. He made dozens and dozens of friends and fans just walking the beach on Elger Bay. He was also an incredibly good sport. He might have complained a lot, but he always went along with Cheryl's great ideas—including dressing up (shorts, suspenders, boots and hat only) as Santa for his and Cheryl's annual Christmas photo card.

John had a huge heart, and room in it for everyone he loved. He leaves behind countless friends and neighbors who will miss his laugh and big hugs.

His family feels his loss tremendously, but they are determined to honor his spirit and legacy of kindness by living every day a little more like John did: with generosity, a warm welcome and a helping hand.

That family includes: his adoring wife Cheryl; sons Eric (Amanda) and Jason (Cherie); grandchildren Haley, Kiley, Madison, Austin, Alexa and Chase; mother Marcia Sofie; siblings Arlene, Tom and Larry (and their spouses); and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of John's life will be held at:

5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28

Harbour Pointe Golf Club

11817 Harbour Pointe Blvd

Mukilteo, WA 98275

An honors ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m.

John was a remarkable man, and the world is a warmer place for his having been here. Santa has retired.

"If tomorrow starts without me,

and I'm not here to see,

If the sun should rise you find

your eyes all filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry

the way you did today,

while thinking of the many things

we didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,

as much as I love you,

and each time that you think of me,

I know you'll miss me too."

--from "If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" by David Roman