On April 18, 2020, John Ivan Sohrakoff, passed away peacefully at home in Wheatland, CA. John was born to Paul and Anna Sohrakoff on January 22, 1916, in Olene, Oregon. The Sohrakoff family moved to Wheatland in 1929, to engage in farming.

John graduated from Wheatland High School in 1935, and worked thereafter for various Wheatland farmers before going to work in the goldfields as a catskinner. Later on when the war started he and his "cat" turned the "first dirt" to build Travis AFB.

On September 29, 1940, John married the love of his life, Virginia Lewis, and moved back to Wheatland. John and Virginia continued to live together in Wheatland until Virginia's death on December 19, 2017. John farmed the local Wheatland area along with his brothers Willie and Nick until Sohrakoff brothers retired in 1985. After that John managed their "retirement" walnut orchard with the help of his son, Wayne, and grew rice on another family property with his nephew, Rick Sohrakoff.

John especially loved camping at Bucks Lake and fly fishing the small streams for trout. Deer hunting and pheasant hunting along with duck and goose hunting were his favorites. Many lifelong stories were generated on the infamous Moose hunt to Alberta, Canada, in 1967.

John is preceded in death by his father, Paul Sohrakoff; his mother, Anna Sohrakoff; his older sisters, Nellie Preston and Minnie Popoff; his brothers, William, Paul and Nick Sohrakoff; and a younger sister, Nettie Carlson.

He is survived by younger sisters, Vera Harvey and Dorothy Ann Patellos. He is also survivied by his daughter, Janet (Sohrakoff) Thornton; his son, Wayne Sohrakoff (Penny); grandchildren, Michelle (Sohrakoff) Redstone, Ivan Wayne Sohrakoff (Mollie), and Ronald Thornton (Laura); and great-grandchild, Brianna Thornton. He also leaves behind numerous neices and nephews.

Due to the corona virus, a burial at Wheatland Cemetary will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting a donation be made to the Wheatland Historical Society or Sutter North Hospice.
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