Sophia (Efthimiou) Nibi of Newton, retired Administrative Assistant to His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston, died of cancer Thursday at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She was 70. Born in Neo Irakleio Attica, a suburb of Athens, Greece, in 1942, Sophia Efthimiou immigrated to the United States in 1956, settling in Brooklyn, NY. She lived in Sherborn and Wellesley before moving to Newton in 2005. Mrs. Nibi graduated from Hunter College with a degree in Chemistry and worked as a researcher for the Lederle Labs division of American Cyanamid. In 1964, she married Nick Nibi and a year later became a stay-at-home mom when her daughter Theresa was born. In 1970, she earned a master's degree in education from Boston State College and taught high school chemistry and physics. Turning to her love of writing, she later changed careers and worked as a reporter and columnist for the Dover-Sherborn and Medfield Suburban Press. She then was responsible for public relations for Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology from 1981 to 1984 before joining the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston office where she worked for over 27 years. Metropolitan Methodios had high praises for Mrs. Nibi. "She oversaw every aspect of the office," His Eminence said. "The only thing she did not do is put on the robe and do the services. She was at her desk when I arrived in the morning and still working when I left at the end of the day." "She knew how to handle people" Metropolitan Methodios said. "But what stood out most was her talent and sterling character as seen in the way she has cared in the people who stay in the Philoxenia House, the Metropolis home for families from Greece who come to be treated at Boston area hospitals. She bought the food, took people to the hospital, found doctors for patients, and dealt with families -sometimes eight or nine under the same roof." The job never seemed like work to Mrs. Nibi, even during her husband's illness (Nick Nibi died in 1997). "There was never one day that I got up and said, I wish I didn't have to go to work,'" she had said. It seemed that every time she thought of retiring Metropolitan Methodios would start a new ministry. "And I would want to be a part of it!" Mrs. Nibi had said. Among the ministries were the Philoxenia House, the St. Methodios Retreat Center in Contoocook, NH, and youth ministry. When Mrs. Nibi accepted Metropolitan Methodios' invitation to be his Administrative Assistant back in 1984, she had said she would do it for one year. After over 27 years, in 2011 Mrs. Nibi officially retired from a job that was also her passion to spend more time with her daughter and granddaughter. Mrs. Nibi was a parishioner of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Weston. She is predeceased by her husband Nick Nibi. She is survived by her daughter, Theresa Nibi and her granddaughter Veronica Nibi, both of Newton. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Weston. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley