On May 16th, 2020, he joined his devoted wife, Andriana, and eldest son Dimitrios, who
preceded him in eternal rest.
John was born in Corinth, Greece, in 1929. He spent his youth working alongside his three
younger siblings in their family vineyard in Zevgolateio. As a young man, he lived through the
Great Depression and World War II during the German occupation of Greece. At that time, John
was obliged to work as a cook for the German military. After long days in the kitchen, he would
coax the head chef to several rounds of drinks in hopes of intoxicating him just enough to bring
his guard down. At that point, John would seize the opportunity to distribute food from the
kitchen to the nearby villagers. Though the position was humble, he used his role heroically.
In 1955, John immigrated to Montreal, Canada, where he married his lovely wife, Andriana
Alexiou. Together, the couple had three children Jimmy, Peter, and Daisy. John began
supporting his family by working in the restaurant industry. He then went on to establish several
of his own restaurants. Even after he retired, he continued to share his love of food with his
family and friends. "Μπάρμπα Γιάννης" never shied away from critiquing one's cooking based
on his rating system. Thumbs up equaled excellent, thumbs down equaled disaster. He was
often found hosting barbeques in his backyard. These gatherings were filled with music, dance,
badminton, and of course, the obligatory game of cards. He was a jokester whose zest for life
was undeniable to all who knew him.
John will always be remembered by his children, Peter and Daisy. His son-in-law Costa. His
grandchildren, John-Andrew, Emily, John, Jacob, Jasmine, Petro and Maria, Maria and Michael.
His great-grandchildren, Costantinos, Vasilios, and Alexandros.
Given the health restrictions placed on public gatherings at this time, the service will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church or the
Alzheimer Society of Canada.
St John the Baptist Church:
https://hcgm.org/in-lieu-of-flowers/
Alzheimer Society:
https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home?_ga=2.198858473.777320214.1589906035-1056904880.1589906035
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