John M. "Jack" Sofilka

John M. “Jack” Sofilka, 74, passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2020 at his home in Lancaster, Pa. He was the son of the late Mary (Sinko) and John Sofilka. Born and raised in the coal regions of Saint Clair, Pa., Jack graduated from Saint Clair High School and received a full scholarship to Columbia University, New York. He made the decision during his sophomore year to answer the call of his country to voluntarily enlist in the military and entered the United States Marine Corps in 1966, earning the rank of Corporal. He completed one tour of duty in Vietnam which he rarely discussed except to teach his daughters to always shake out their shoes to ensure no giant insects had crawled in overnight, a lifelong skill they continue to practice. Upon returning from Vietnam, Jack graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Susquehanna University, including credits for the Vietnamese Language – mostly because, “nobody could test me so I passed.” He married Cathy (Simpson) with whom he recently celebrated 49 years of marriage. After beginning their family, Jack made the decision to attend law school and graduated from Widener School of Law in 1983, following several years of working in trucking overnight, and attending class during the day. He practiced law until his passing and loved his work family at Eager, Stengel, Quinn, Sofilka and Babic. Vowing to never stop working, he likened his days with his partners to getting a shot of Vitamin B-12. The greatest compliment he could be given was, “I wouldn’t have guessed you were a lawyer,” because he didn’t like most lawyers – he just wanted to help the underdog. He enjoyed watching sports, from high school football and basketball with his friends who traveled the state to key matchups, to Premier League Soccer which he’d wake up in the early hours of the morning to catch live. An animal lover, he enjoyed the company of his dog Ralphie and his daughters’ dogs. One of his favorite places to be was on Hilton Head Island with his family. Jack was an avid runner for more than 40 years. He was a voracious reader and loved listening to music, from reggae to classic rock. In addition to his wife, Cathy, who provided exceptional commitment and care for him during his health challenges over the last few years, he will be lovingly missed by his daughters Kristen Sofilka, of West Chester, Pa., and Megan Tomsheck, wife of Ryan, of Lancaster, Pa. He is also survived by his brother, Michael Sofilka, husband of Celestine, and nieces Stephanie and Kara, of Florida. He was preceded in death by sister Mary Ann Wingard and niece Amanda Lindner. Extended family, and friends who became family, will also miss him and his dry sense of humor. Childhood friend Monsignor John Grabish will be officiating the service on Friday, July 10 at 1:00 pm at The Groffs Funeral and Cremation Services, 528 W. Orange St., Lancaster, PA. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the family requests that guests wear masks, and there will be no receiving line. In addition, the family urges anyone who is high risk, cares for anyone high risk, or has any hesitation to gather, to please stay safe at home. Despite his wishes to have his ashes spread over TJ Maxx, “so Cathy can visit me weekly,” Jack will be privately interred with military honors at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Those who loved him are encouraged to sip some Jack Daniels, remembering Jack’s favorite toast: “May you live as long as you want to, and want to as long as you live.” In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Giving, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (or online at stjude.org), or to a charity of your choice.