Sofia Kokkokios

Sofia Kokkokios, nee Kokonis, of Naperville formerly of Barrington, age 87. Beloved wife of the late Constantinos Kokkokios; loving mother of George (Colette) Cocokios and Toula (Nicholas) Kirkeles; proud grandmother of Marisa (Matt) Salasky, Christian Cocokios, Christos Kirkeles and Constantinos Kirkeles; great-grandmother of Raymond, Theo and Shiloh; cherished daughter of the late Demetrios and Iliostalakti Kokonis; dear sister of Dr. Nicholas (Popi) Kokonis, Panayiota and the late Limberios (Vasiliki) Kokonis; sister-in-law and aunt to many nieces and nephews in the United States, Australia and Greece.

In 1958, at the age of 20, Sofia bravely left her village, Agios Vasilios, Tripoli in Greece and immigrated to Sydney, Australia on the Bride Ship MS Flaminia, where she was to marry her beloved soon to be husband, Dino. Together they built a beautiful life with their children and later moved to the United States in 1975 where they became proud owners of the famous Bread Basket Restaurant in Barrington, IL.

Known to all as Yia Yia Sofia, she was the heart of her family’s home. She poured love into everything she touched, whether it was her Greek cooking, flourishing garden, her carefully stitched needlepoint, or her endless trays of Greek glyka. Sofia’s kitchen was always open and no one left hungry. Her signature koulourakia became legendary. Christmas and Easter in Sofia’s home meant tables filled with love, laughter and the irresistible aroma of her cooking.

She cherished these gatherings most when every seat was full and every plate overflowing. Whether she was baking prosphora for the church, tending to her garden, sharing a Greek café with a friend or cooking meals that brought generations together, she created a legacy of love that will live on in her family and friends. She was a hardworking Servant of our Lord with her life being rooted in her Christian Orthodox faith and spent a lifetime spiritually preparing for the day she was to be called home to eternal life with our Lord. May her memory be eternal!

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, 133 S. Roselle Rd., Palatine, IL from 10:30 a.m. until time of Funeral Service at 11:30 a.m. Interment Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington, IL. Arrangements entrusted to Chris J. Balodimas, Funeral Director. For info 708-F-U-N-E-R-A-L.