George Nick Gianopulos

His immigrant Mother and Father were Vasiliki and Tom Gianopulos with a brother Pete and sister Margaret. He grew up in that community, attending schools from Kindergarten through the local Junior College. In both high school and junior college, he was active in school functions, eventually serving as student body president of each. Much of his early life in Taft is captured in a book he wrote many years later. It is called “Wake up Eddy for a Dime”. George would continue his education at the then Fresno State College, graduating with a BA in Mathematics and Physics along with a California Teaching Credential for upper level grades. His intension was to become an educator at the high school level. He would later do graduate work at UCLA, USC and Pepperdine University.

As he was begInning his career in education, the Korean War broke out. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to New Mexico to work on the development of rockets and guided missiles, introducing new and, at that time, exotic weapon systems. His experiences here introduced him to the technology of the future – not only rocketry and weapon systems but the newly introduced digital computer. These experiences changed his life.

Upon leaving the Army, he did pursue his original career objective in the high school classrooms in California. But after 3 or 4 years, he joined the California Institute of Technology (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) which was at that time developing surface-to-surface guided missiles for the Army. Experimentation at that time began to turn toward launching instrument packages into the atmosphere and beyond for scientific purposes. As NASA was born, it became clear that JPL was the most advanced to embark into what would become the American Space Program. George was engaged in various aspects of these new efforts. Over the next years, he would have heavy involvement in programs such as sending spacecraft to the moon, moon orbiters and landers, to Mars and beyond. One such project placed George in charge of setting up the 'flight control system’ to control a very extensive exploration of Mars. This program would place two spacecraft in orbit around Mars and two on the surface of Mars. In time, he held other positions, supervisory and management. His last assignment would be Project Manager of a military application of technology derived from the space program.

It was in the period of his joining JPL that he would marry Dorothea Andros who he had met in their college days in Fresno. They settled in Pasadena, Dorothea engaging in the music community there. Over the next forty years, she studied piano with some of the most reputable pianists of the area and beyond. She never ceased teaching piano to some 15, 20 or 25 young, eager piano students. Her pianistic endeavors kept the Gianopulos family close to the music arts community of Southern California. Lovers of art, the Gianopulos’ would begin collecting paintings, a love of the arts that continues today. They raised two sons, Thomas (Kathy) and Daniel (Rochelle), grandchildren Phillip, Theresa, Michelle and Daniel.

Over their Pasadena years, the Gianopulos’ were heavily engaged in the St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church there. Dorothea found herself sometimes in the Sunday School classrooms, church organizations such as Philoptochos and others. George held positions on the Parish Council. Eventually he was selected to lead a program to build a new church structure there in Pasadena. Over the next nine or ten years, he and his committee took the charge, found the acceptable architect, approved his design, achieved a building program, raised sufficient funds and were able to bring the project to an end with its formal Consecration in 1984. That church stands today.

George retired in 1992. with sons now married, George and Dorothea returned to Fresno. They soon became engaged in that community, the spiritual, the arts, music, theater and more. While Dorothea took on some piano pupils, George found himself once again involved in church work. Included were Parish Council, fundraising efforts such as Parish anniversary celebrations and Festivals. The Fresno St. George Greek Orthodox Church had been built in the mid-1950’s. with excellent iconography in its interior from the time of construction, the ceiling of the nave had remained unfinished for five decades. A program to, in effect, complete the work begun some 50 years earlier was initiated. George was selected to lead this effort. With his committee, some 18 or 19 iconographers were considered, settling on one found in St. Petersburg, Russia. What followed was a nine-to-ten-year effort which concluded with an interior ceiling some 40 by 70 feet in dimension depicting iconography in the style consistent with the earlier work in the church.

In the course of this very active working career, George was recognized in several ways for his contributions, leadership, innovation and dedication demonstrated in the many projects he led or in which he participated. Some include the “NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership”, two “NASA Group Achievement Awards”, one for the Viking Project (Mission Control and Computing Center) to Mars and the Viking Lander-1 Recovery Project. Also, from the Greek Orthodox Church of North & South America he received the “Archdiocese Medal of St. Paul" recognizing his efforts from initial planning, through design, fund raising, construction iconography and Consecrating a new church in Pasadena, CA.

George found time to join a men’s social organization, eventually holding the position of its President. The Gianopulos’ enjoyed the local symphony orchestra concerts as well as a 40- some year old piano concert series. This series brought pianist of international acclaim to a Fresno audience. In time, George served on the series Board of Directors for some ten years. And with all of the above, George & Dorothea found time to travel covering a good part of this Earth, from most of this side of the Atlantic, thru Europe, the Mideast, areas of the north African continent, Southeast Asia and the Orient.

Visitation will be held Monday, August 19, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 2219 N Orchard St, Fresno, CA 93703, followed by a funeral service at 10:00 a.m.

Committal Graveside Service will be held at Belmont Memorial Park, 201 N Teilman Ave, Fresno, CA 93706 following the funeral service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Gianopulos family.