Mr. Sokol, of Prast Boulevard, won the race for sheriff in 1966 in his third bid for the office. He ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 1970 and declined to run again in 1974.

Mr. Sokol's law enforcement career spanned 40 years. Before becoming sheriff, Mr. Sokol served 21 years with the South Bend Police Department. As a captain in 1952, he was commended for running both the South Bend Police crime prevention and juvenile aid bureaus in their first year of operation.

During his term as sheriff, Mr. Sokol established the first detective bureau and started the first merit system. The new county jail also was built during his administration.

He also served three years with the Indiana State Police Excise Division and six years as chief of security at the University of Notre Dame.

Mr. Sokol completed his career in law enforcement as an officer in the county probation department, from which he retired in 1976.

After his retirement, he was asked to return to work as special investigator for the prosecutor's office under the supervision of William Albright.

He was a member of St. John the Baptist Church, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 36, where he served as secretary for 13 years, national vice president of Fraternal Order of Police for seven years, Indiana State Sheriff's Association, Z.B. Falcons Nest 80, and Elks Lodge 235.

He was born March 6, 1910 in Cleveland, and lived most of his life in this area. On July 3, 1937, in South Bend, he married Mollie L. Peczkowski. She survives, with two daughters, Marlene Sexson of Felton, Calif., and Kathleen Miholich of Phoenix; two sons, Ronald of Tokyo, and Dennis of Arlington, Va.; eight granddaughters; eight great-grandchildren; a sister, Mary Pacay of South Bend; a brother, Alex of Indianapolis; a stepsister, Irene Fershin of Santa Ana, Calif.; and a stepbrother, Carl Benko of Burton, Mich.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in the church. Entombment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Kaniewski Funeral Home, where a parish vigil service will be at 4 p.m. Thursday. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.