Sotirios Bouras

Sotirios Bouras (baba) fell asleep in the Lord on October 14, 2021 after a brief illness. Sotirios was born on October 23, 1935 in the small mountain village of Kato Davia in Arcadia Greece (not far from the birthplace of Theodoros Kolokotrones.) He was the sixth of eleven siblings born to Panagiotis Bouras and Vasiliki Bouras (nee Kantzavelos.)

Baba spoke of his early life with joyfulness, even though the events he relayed were often difficult by current standards. Poverty, harshness, etc. These early difficulties shaped and strengthened Baba to be circumspect in the face of future difficulties. His early life prepared him to face life’s challenges with strength, resolve, courage and without grumbling. Of course childhood in the village offered a lot of fun and comradery with his siblings and all the village children.

Grandmother Vasiliki found an apprenticeship for Baba in the nearby city of Tripolis as a tailor. At the tender age of 13, Baba and his identical twin brother Spiros moved to a small basement room and began their adult lives. Baba often spoke of the kindness of a very few people who would offer him some small amount of cheese or other delicacies.

At the age of 17 Baba emigrated to Montreal, Canada to join his two older sisters Eustathia and Dimitra. Baba’s first job was at a soda fountain at the Hotel Napoleon. He often spoke wistfully of the amazing banana split sundaes and the process for making the whipped cream. Baba eventually transitioned into the fur industry and ran a small restaurant with his brothers Spiro and Nick, both professions he maintained on and off until his passing.

Baba was always well grounded in his Orthodox faith, thanks to Yiayia Vasiliki. His religious educator in Tripolis was Kyrios Lefteris, who also happened to be the catechist for Petros Stathopoulos, the older brother of Despina Stathopoulou. When Petros also emigrated to Montreal, K yrios Lefteris arranged for him to stay with some good people he knew there, the Bouras siblings! Theo Petros showed Baba a picture of Despina dressed in the Amalia costume and that was it, Baba was besotten! He made certain to be on the docks when Despina arrived to join her brother Petros in Montreal. They were married on July 23, 1961 and were blessed to celebrate their 60th anniversary this summer!

Montreal, Canada was a blessed landing spot for both our parents. There they began their family life together there, soon welcoming their firstborn son Panagiotis followed soon after by their daughter Iphigenia Maria and a few years by later their youngest son Athanasios(Tom).

Of the eight Bouras siblings that emigrated to Montreal, 4 of them ended up in the Los Angeles area, so the path to sunny southern California was an obvious one, but not before a one year long attempt to “make it” in Greece during the difficult years of the junta.

Baba came ahead to scout out a little restaurant on Hollywood boulevard and an apartment before bringing his family, always being the best provider and a very hard worker, never a burden to anyone or the state. Baba owned and operated three fast food restaurants, two of them at the same time! Baba was always busy in the garden during his off time, pulling weeds! He was also our grill master, often providing delicious steaks and chicken at all of the frequent and happy family gatherings.

Baba was blessed and happy to see his children become educated and successful adults, and he enjoyed the status of “papou” by his son Panagiotis(Magdalieni) and by his daughter Presbytera Maria(Fr. Andreas Papayiannis). He cherished his role as Papou to Andrew, Ekaterina, Philip and Natalia Bouras and to Alexandra and Iain “Nako” Papayiannis. His number one duty was to teach the grandchildren the fun of picking oranges off the small tree in the back yard and tossing them into the pool! What joy his grandchildren derived in his company doing silly things.

Baba loved jokes but could never get half way through telling one without bringing himself to tears of laughter. He never finished a good joke…

Being a country boy Baba loved nature and never tired of watching nature documentaries. He enjoyed playing tennis and bowling and being physically active in general. He was still doing pushups until his recent hospitalization. Baba and his siblings were all handsome people; once while taking the tour at Universal Studios he was picked out by a tour operator to participate in an audience skit, portraying

Robert Redford!

We are so sad to see our father leave us, but confident that he had diligently prepared himself spiritually to meet his Lord and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ at the time of his passing. May his memory be eternal.

Sotirios is survived by his devoted and loving wife Despina, son Pete(Mitzi/Magdalini) his daughter Dr. Mary Bouras (Fr. Andreas Papayiannis), son Tom Athanasios Bouras, grandchildren Andrew, Ekaterina, Phillip, and Natalia Bouras, Alexandra and Iain Papayiannis; siblings Maria Soundris, Alexandras Zonos, Nicholas(Vaso) Bouras, Eleftheria(George) Bicos, Athanasia(George) Tzanidis; as well as many many nephews and nieces in Greece, Canada and California whom he loved very much, as well as koumbari, godchildren and many friends. He is predeceased by his siblings, Zacharias, George and Spiros Bouras, Dimitra Petroulias, and Eustathia Tagalakis.

Funeral services and burial will be at the St. Anthony Monastery in Florence, Arizona. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Sotirios’s memory to the St. Anthony Monastery or to Saint Sophia Cathedral (Los Angeles).