George K. Tsotsos

George K. Tsotsos was born August 17, 1919, on the Greek island of Corfu and passed away Saturday, December 17, 2016, at a Bedford care center. Between these two points in time and geography, he lived a challenging and interesting life. He was in the Greek Air Force Academy when the Second World War started. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) moved to incorporate the Greek air cadets into a Greek-British unit of the British forces. George was trained by the RAF in the Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft, which he flew in the North African and Mediterranean theaters of operations. Following the war, he flew for the Greek Air Force in the Greek civil war, rising to the rank of major. In 1948-1949 he was sent with a detachment of young Greek pilots to San Antonio to assist with their training at a local air base. It was there that he met and married the love of his life, Arthalia Broughton. Following the Greek civil war, he gave up his commission in the Greek Air Force and moved his young family to the United States to start over. He eventually took a job with a unit of Texas Utilities, where he worked his way into management during a 28-year career. He used to say that being selected to attend the Greek air force academy changed his life forever by leading him far from his homeland. He was representative of countless men and women whose lives were irrevocably altered by the tumultuous events of the Second World War. In addition to family, his joys included flying, swimming in the ocean, bringing laughter to children and visiting his beloved Corfu in retirement. His enthusiasm for life, hard work, and play will be remembered and greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Arthalia; their daughter, Sylvia Yellin; along with several brothers and sisters in Greece. Survivors: He is survived by his daughter, Roseann Evans and husband, Jon, of Colleyville; son, Paul Tsotsos and wife, Laurie Towne, of Chicago; former son-in-law, Burt Yellin of Bennett, Colo.; and grandchildren, Scot Evans, Kristen Moran, David Yellin, and Stella Tsotsos. The family would like to thank the staff of Parkwood Healthcare and particularly those staff members in the Mayfair Skilled Nursing Unit for their kind and professional care. George's final years were greatly enriched by the companion care of Marla Morris, Mele Fakailoatonga, and Darlinda Alliston. The family would also like to thank Heart to Heart Hospice and its employees for their attentive care in his last months. Memorials: May be made to Habitat for Humanity and the American Cancer Society.