Email  Print

Socrates Nicholson

Socrates Nicholson passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 16, 2013.

  He was born on Oct. 31, 1925, in San Francisco, to Louis and Ruby Nicholson. He attended George Washington High School in San Francisco and joined the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17, immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was part of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Corps and participated in the recapture of Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Pelilou, and finally, Okinawa. He then attended some college and took a vagabond tour of Greece and Europe.

  After the Korean War broke out, he returned to San Francisco and worked on the MSTS ships that transported the troops across the Pacific. It was then that he met his wonderful wife, Bettye Taylor, and they were married in 1961.

  Soc was a court reporter by profession and owned a firm in San Francisco. He and Bettye moved to Sonoma in 1962 and purchased the ranch on Napa Road across from Stornetta’s Dairy. In addition to working in San Francisco, he was also the court reporter for Sonoma and Petaluma. In those days, court was held but one day a week in what is now City Hall.

  Soc is survived by his daughter, Ramona Nicholson; his grandchildren, Zander, Taylor and Natalie Gulrajani; and his stepson, Michael Coughlan. He will be remembered for his incredible sense of humor and zeal for life.

  Socrates will be buried at the Greek Orthodox Memorial Park in Colma on Friday, Feb. 22.

  For all who wish to celebrate his life, there will be a memorial service for him at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Burlingame Hall, First Congregational Church of Sonoma,

  In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Presentation School in Sonoma.

Duggan’s Mission Chapel
Mission Cremation Service
Sonoma