Sofia Adamson
Encyclopedia
Sofia Adamson was a Greek immigrant who founded the Pacific Asia Museum
in Los Angeles
, co-founded Adamson University
in the Philippines
, and worked for General Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines.
on August 24, 1916 to Marine and Demosthenes (Dan), Greek immigrant parents.
At the age of 3 she moved with her parents to Los Angeles where her father became a wholesales grocery salesman for S. E. Rykoff. He died in 1928. In 1919 Sofia's mother became the first Greek actress to perform in a Hollywood motion picture. Sofia's mother remarried in 1936 to Anthony Xydias, the first Greek silent film producer most noted for making over 100 historical western films. Sofia's education began by attending the Los Angeles public schools, graduating from Los Angeles High School in 1933.
She attended the University of California Los Angeles and graduated with a Bachelor's degree
in education in 1937 to become the first Greek woman to graduate with this degree from the Westwood campus of UCLA. On Saint Sofia's Day, September 17, 1938 she met her soon to be groom and a whirlwind romance began. She married George Athos Adamson in 1939 and moved to the Philippines to co-found Adamson University with his cousins. She is credited with founding Adamson's College of Education.
, recruited Sofia to work in General MacArthur's office in the Philippines. She sat a few feet from MacArthur's office and typed the orders he gave to the troops. Sofia remained in Manila
after General MacArthur fled the Philippines for Australia
and the Japanese gained control of Manila. She lived under Japanese occupation
for three years. Due to their Greek heritage, the Adamsons were not imprisoned by the Japanese. A 1945 Los Angeles Times article stated that she and her husband were "the only two white persons who had a grand seat during the entire surrender, Japanese occupation, and finally the recapture of Manila." During the return of the Americans to liberate Manila, Sofia and her husband were wounded. In her own biography Sophia describes in detail her 2-day grueling ordeal where she and her husband survived numerous shrapnel injuries inflicted by 105 mm. howitzers fired by friendly forces during the Battle for Liberation of Manila. She was wounded in the neck and leg, which required numerous surgeries to regain her walking ability. Sofia was awarded the Purple Heart
fifty three years later for these injuries, being one of a very small group of women to be given such an honor. "And believe me," she told a reporter for "ABC
World News This Morning," "this award came, and I've forgotten all about the pain."
After recovering from her war injuries in Manila and later in an army hospital in San Francisco, Sofia and George moved back to Pasadena, California in 1946, where she began over 50 years of service and generosity. One of her closest friends, Dr. Edgardo L. Arcinue, once wrote "Sofia, I'm overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of your intelligence and the strength and endurance of your enthusiastic leadership in volunteerism." A view he shared with his wife, Lucy.
In 1971 she also was a Founder of the Philippine Arts Council and in 1984 was the Initiator for the Philippine Exhibitions' "100 Years of Philippine Poetry" and supporter of the "100 Years of Philippine Paintings" during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. From 1974 to 1975 Sofia was the President of the Central Improvement Association of Pasadena and later became the Chairman for Pasadena's Centennial Parade in 1986. In 1982 she became the Director of the United Mercantile Bank and Trust in Pasadena and held that position until 1990. Among her numerous honors, Sofia was given the 1971's "Woman of the Year" by the Philoptohos Society of Saint Sophia Cathedral, the 1988 Recognition Day Award from the Woman's Civic League of Pasadena, the Honoree of the Philippine Arts Council of Pacific Asia Museum in 1988, the 1990 Gold Award for Excellence in Community Service from UCLA, Doctor of Education, Honoris Cause from the Adamson University in 1992, the 1992 Gold Crown Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pasadena Arts Council, the Los Angeles Council Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award in 1997 and the Purple Heart in 1998. Sofia was listed in the 1977 Edition of Who's Who of American Women and the 1979 Edition of the World's Who's Who of Women.
at the age of 90.
Pacific Asia Museum
The Pacific Asia Museum is an Asian art museum located at 46 N. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, California, United States.The museum was founded in 1971 by the Pacificulture Foundation, which purchased “The Grace Nicholson Treasure House of Oriental Art” from the City of Pasadena...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, co-founded Adamson University
Adamson University
Adamson University is a private university Catholic university in Manila, Philippines, founded on June 30, 1932 by Greek immigrant George Lucas Adamson as the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and worked for General Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines.
Early life
Adamson was born Sofia Demos in Pocatello, IdahoIdaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
on August 24, 1916 to Marine and Demosthenes (Dan), Greek immigrant parents.
At the age of 3 she moved with her parents to Los Angeles where her father became a wholesales grocery salesman for S. E. Rykoff. He died in 1928. In 1919 Sofia's mother became the first Greek actress to perform in a Hollywood motion picture. Sofia's mother remarried in 1936 to Anthony Xydias, the first Greek silent film producer most noted for making over 100 historical western films. Sofia's education began by attending the Los Angeles public schools, graduating from Los Angeles High School in 1933.
She attended the University of California Los Angeles and graduated with a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in education in 1937 to become the first Greek woman to graduate with this degree from the Westwood campus of UCLA. On Saint Sofia's Day, September 17, 1938 she met her soon to be groom and a whirlwind romance began. She married George Athos Adamson in 1939 and moved to the Philippines to co-found Adamson University with his cousins. She is credited with founding Adamson's College of Education.
War time
In 1941, two US Army majors, Poppy Archer and Thomas TrapnellThomas J. H. Trapnell
Thomas John Hall "Trap" Trapnell was a United States Armygeneral. Trapnell survived the Bataan Death March and the sinking of two transportation ships during...
, recruited Sofia to work in General MacArthur's office in the Philippines. She sat a few feet from MacArthur's office and typed the orders he gave to the troops. Sofia remained in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
after General MacArthur fled the Philippines for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Japanese gained control of Manila. She lived under Japanese occupation
Japanese occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines was the period in the history of the Philippines between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the previously American-controlled Philippines during World War II....
for three years. Due to their Greek heritage, the Adamsons were not imprisoned by the Japanese. A 1945 Los Angeles Times article stated that she and her husband were "the only two white persons who had a grand seat during the entire surrender, Japanese occupation, and finally the recapture of Manila." During the return of the Americans to liberate Manila, Sofia and her husband were wounded. In her own biography Sophia describes in detail her 2-day grueling ordeal where she and her husband survived numerous shrapnel injuries inflicted by 105 mm. howitzers fired by friendly forces during the Battle for Liberation of Manila. She was wounded in the neck and leg, which required numerous surgeries to regain her walking ability. Sofia was awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
fifty three years later for these injuries, being one of a very small group of women to be given such an honor. "And believe me," she told a reporter for "ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
World News This Morning," "this award came, and I've forgotten all about the pain."
After recovering from her war injuries in Manila and later in an army hospital in San Francisco, Sofia and George moved back to Pasadena, California in 1946, where she began over 50 years of service and generosity. One of her closest friends, Dr. Edgardo L. Arcinue, once wrote "Sofia, I'm overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of your intelligence and the strength and endurance of your enthusiastic leadership in volunteerism." A view he shared with his wife, Lucy.
Civic service
Mrs. Adamson became deeply involved in civic groups, including those in the Greek-American community. From 1954-1955 she was the President of Philoptohos Society of St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church of Pasadena. She then served on the Board of Directors at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral from 1950 to 1971. In 1968 she was President of the International Christian Scholarship Foundation and remained a Board Member until 1971. Most notably, in 1971-72, along with Margaret Palmer, she was a co-founder and a generous contributor to the Pacific Asia Museum to showcase the arts and culture of the Pacific islands and to make it acceptable to a broader audience. She remained a Founding Trustee for life and made her last contribution in person just 5 days before she died.In 1971 she also was a Founder of the Philippine Arts Council and in 1984 was the Initiator for the Philippine Exhibitions' "100 Years of Philippine Poetry" and supporter of the "100 Years of Philippine Paintings" during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. From 1974 to 1975 Sofia was the President of the Central Improvement Association of Pasadena and later became the Chairman for Pasadena's Centennial Parade in 1986. In 1982 she became the Director of the United Mercantile Bank and Trust in Pasadena and held that position until 1990. Among her numerous honors, Sofia was given the 1971's "Woman of the Year" by the Philoptohos Society of Saint Sophia Cathedral, the 1988 Recognition Day Award from the Woman's Civic League of Pasadena, the Honoree of the Philippine Arts Council of Pacific Asia Museum in 1988, the 1990 Gold Award for Excellence in Community Service from UCLA, Doctor of Education, Honoris Cause from the Adamson University in 1992, the 1992 Gold Crown Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pasadena Arts Council, the Los Angeles Council Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award in 1997 and the Purple Heart in 1998. Sofia was listed in the 1977 Edition of Who's Who of American Women and the 1979 Edition of the World's Who's Who of Women.
Autobiography
In 1982, Sofia wrote her autobiography titled Gods, Angels, Pearls and Roses, which has been published in the United States, the Philippines and Greece. Gods referring to her Greek heritage, angels to her childhood in Los Angeles, pearls to Manila, and roses to her life in Pasadena.Death
Sofia Adamson died of a heart attack on May 19, 2007 at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
at the age of 90.