John Joseph Dellas

68, of Jackson, Michigan passed away on May 26, 2017 in his home surrounded by his wife and children. He was born September 9, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, the only son of Charlotte (Brunskill) and Dimitris Dellas. John graduated from Allen Park High School in 1966 and then attended the University of Michigan where he graduated with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree. UM is also where he met his wife Antonia (Kamoutsis). They married shortly after graduation in 1970. John also started his first job at Consumers Power Company in 1970 and stayed with that company for his entire 40-year career from which he retired as the Executive Director of Electric Supply in 2011. During his tenure at Consumers, he earned his MBA from Eastern Michigan University in 1977. Also in 1977, his daughter Christina was born followed by his son Nicholas in 1979. Philanthropy was a key component of John’s life. A die-hard UM football fan, John enjoyed not only attending games, but donating game tickets to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He found true joy in touching the lives of others. The Salvation Army was one of his favorite seasonal charities, where he always took a hands-on approach by buying food and toys for those in need. John also established a scholarship fund through the Jackson Community Foundation for Jackson-area students who seek a career in education. John’s passion for helping others grew out of his strong foundation in the Orthodox Christian faith. He was a pillar of the St. Demetrius Orthodox Church in Jackson. St. Demetrius was where, as a widower, he met and married his wife Monica (Blackwell) in 2007. In both his career and his philanthropic work, John was a strong advocate for developing a vision for the future which was instrumental in propelling forth major improvement projects at St. Demetrius. John was also a supporter of the Holy Dormition Orthodox Monastery in Rives Junction. John will be remembered by all who knew him as someone who always put others before himself and will be missed by all whose lives he touched. He is survived by his wife Monica and two children Christina and Nicholas, two sisters Penelope Thornton and Rhonda Warner, three step-children Laura Hancock, Jordan Alport, and David Alport, and step-grandchild Ivalea. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Antonia Dellas. There will be a public visitation at St. Demetrius Orthodox Church (3043 Seymour Rd.) on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 from 4pm to 8pm, with a prayer service at 7pm. On Wednesday, May 31, 2017, the funeral service will be held at 11am at the church with the procession to internment at Holy Dormition Orthodox Monastery to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Demetrius Orthodox Church or Big Brothers/Big Sisters are preferred.

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