Christopher Jay Sodoma

Born in Morristown, New Jersey, to John Sodoma and Elizabeth Dewey, Chris was a man of immense loyalty, legendary storytelling, and a vibrant spirit.

A lifelong learner, Chris grew up in Towaco, New Jersey and graduated high school from Montclair Academy. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and his master’s degree from Kent State before completing his PhD at Indiana University, where his doctoral research focused on developing physical fitness tests in collaboration with the AAU. He then added a nursing degree from Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). His desire to help others shaped everything he did professionally. He coached the Upper Iowa golf team and managed Big Rock Country Club, a course he truly loved. Ultimately, he spent the majority of his career as a dedicated nurse clinician at the Iowa Veterans’ Home, notably refusing to retire when they needed him most during the COVID-19 pandemic. In retirement, Chris became a Florida resident, happily splitting his time between his winter home in Cocoa and his summers back in Iowa.

Chris’s life was defined by an unwavering loyalty to his family, his friends, his pets, his job, his golf course, and his perpetually heartbreaking Cleveland sports teams. He adored his sons, Matthew and Joseph, and his stepson, Evan. Even while working exhausting night shifts with little to no sleep, he made every attempt to never miss their sporting and school events. This devotion to his people was matched only by his brilliant, sometimes irreverent sense of humor. A master of embellished storytelling, he often made up his own humorous songs and was famous for pulling people in with incredibly long-winded, legendary jokes, rightfully earning his nickname, “Diesel.”

Outside of family and work, Chris’s greatest passion was golf; whether he was playing a round, coaching, managing or working at the course, he was in his element. He was also an avid outdoorsman and rescue dog advocate who hunted, fished, and enjoyed taking his dogs to the park and on hikes at Volga Lake. In his younger, more ambitious days, he even ran marathons. When he wasn't on the golf course or exploring the outdoors, Chris relaxed with an appreciation for music, loving Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Herbie Hancock, and classic rock and jazz in general.

Chris is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Mirguet; his sons, Matthew (Sarah) Sodoma and Joseph (and his partner, Cassy) Sodoma; his stepson, Evan (and his partner, Andrea) Chadwick; his first wife, Lori Dixon (Matthew) Carey; his grandchildren, Eliza Sodoma, Walter Sodoma, Luca Sodoma, and soon-to-arrive granddaughter, Naomi Sodoma; his step-grandchildren, Kayden Spratt, Ireland Spratt, Nevaeh Mccaslin, and Silas Spratt; his beloved dog, Luna; and his siblings, Jill Sodoma Rupp, John Sodoma Jr., David Lyons, James Lyons, and Kathy Lyons Egan. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Sodoma and Elizabeth Dewey Sodoma; his stepmother, Nancy Sodoma; and his siblings, Pamela Lyons Garland and Tracey Sodoma Smalls.

Per Chris’s wishes, there will be no formal services. He will be cremated, and a Celebration of Life will be held in Iowa at a later date. Details will be announced on his Facebook page and updated on his online obituary once determined.