John was born to Charles and Helen Kavis of Bronx, NY on November 29, 1931. John was an avid sports fan who loved his Yankees and the NY Football Giants. He played AAA pro baseball for the then Brooklyn Dodgers until he was drafted during the time of the Korean War. His claim to fame was hitting a double off of Whitey Ford and winning a race to get an autographed baseball by Babe Ruth. John enjoyed golfing and bowling in his free time.
John attended Clinton high school in Bronx, NY and graduated from Brooklyn College of Pharmacy. He started his career as a pharmacist in Astoria, NY before moving to Ithaca, NY in 1964. In 1970 he bought and operated John’s Pharmacy in Ovid, NY and then the Interlaken Apothecary Shop in Interlaken, NY. John also sat on the board of the First National Bank of Ovid. Upon selling the pharmacies, John went on to work as Director of Pharmacy at Willard State Hospital,at Newark Development Center and Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Center until he retired in 1998. After retirement John moved to Bradenton, FL to live close to his sons.
John is survived by wife Demetra (Deme) Kavis, wife of 63 years this August 30th and sons William (Diane) and Michael (Eleni). He has 5 grandsons and one granddaughter and 10 great grandchildren.
Viewing will be at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 N. Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 10am. Service will be held at the church at 11am followed by the burial at Sarasota National Cemetery in Sarasota, FL at 1:30pm. All donations made out to GOYA at Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.
