Obituary of Sophocles Zapnoukayas

Sophocles Zapnoukayas, 96 years of Windham, passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at his residence. He was born on Monday, June 10, 1929, in Manhattan, the son of the late Nicholas and the late Ariadne (née Pilarinos) Zapnoukayas. 

Sophocles was a light for all who knew him. There was so much love. We loved his kind heart. Soph loved animals, plants, and people. He was a true pacifist who avoided conflict at all costs. Sophocles was witty, and brutally honest. If you hung out with him, he was going to teach you some Greek, math, a recipe, chemistry, music, and your grammar was definitely going to improve. Soph made us all better people.

Sophocles would sometimes call requesting we find an obscure recording of a classical piece or hunt down a movie from the past that he wanted to see again. Or, he might just ask for some research about a medical issue as he had no computer.

He was a composer, a pianist, a violinist, a guitarist, a professor, a chemist, a thespian, but most of all he was himself! He was never pretentious, he never gossiped, and he always gave people the benefit of the doubt. He was a fine human being, and we feel honored to have known him and had his friendship. Sophocles will be missed by all who knew him. 

 A calling hour will be held on Thursday, December 18th from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at The Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 4752 NY 23, Windham.
Funeral Liturgy will follow at 6:00 PM at the Greek Orthodox Curch of the Assumption, officiated by Father Fitzpatrick.

Care has been entrusted to Decker Funeral Home 5312 SR 23, Windham, NY. 

Condolences may be left at www.deckerfh.com.