Ioannis Bantourakis

SEPTEMBER 6, 1972 - APRIL 20, 2023

It is with profound sadness, but with the Resurrection that our Beloved

brother in Christ, Ioannis Bantourakis has fallen asleep in the Lord.

We have no words as his passing has sadly come as a big shock to all of us!

Ioannis was our Church Custodian and was only about 51 years old, very

young, and has passed much too soon.

He was a kind man, always helpful across all facets in our Church. He was full

of sunshine and he always made best efforts in conducting his duties and

assisting anyone in the Church who was in need. Ioannis was a hard working

man who always put others first especially his family who he loved dearly!

His passing will leave an emptiness in our Church. It was a pleasure to work

with Ioannis and he will be sadly missed.

Ioannis leaves behind his wife Georgia and their two sons, Konstantinos and

Evripidis. We pray that God gives them the strength to carry on in his

Memory. Amen

Αιωνία η Μνήμη του

May his Memory be Eternal and may he Rest in Peace

AUGUST 15, 1935 - DECEMBER 31, 2022

A steadfast bright shining light, our dearest Eleni Athanasoulas (nee Pilianidou), is now with God. We sadly announce her passing at her home in Richmond Hill, on Saturday, December 31, 2022, age 87.  Beloved mama to her dearest, departed much too soon son George (Paula), and to Stephanos and Maria (Bill). Devoted loving yiayia to Liam, George, Pavlo and Barbara. She will be sadly missed by her sisters and brother, Olympia (Tony), Tassoula (Christos) and Elias (Polixeni), their families, her former husband Dimitrios, and many extended relatives and friends. Predeceased by her

parents Stephanos and Maria, her sisters Elizabet (Socrates) and Basiliki (Yianni).

Born August 15, 1935 in Pontokomi, Kozani, Greece, Eleni was a proud Pontian Greek. As a young adult, she left Greece to work in Munich, Germany where she married and gave birth to her eldest son. Life eventually brought the small family to Canada, where they settled in the west end of Toronto. Now with three children, Eleni continued to

pursue her education as a bookkeeper and banker, over the years working in both fields. Engaged in volunteerism, Eleni was well known at Church and in the Greek, Kozani, and Pontic communities of Toronto, Richmond Hill and Markham.

Eleni’s passion was her children, grandchildren and extended family. She loved to gather with everyone to cook traditional Pontian dishes, embracing and sharing all time-honoured Greek customs. She loved to dance, and hear her children sing. A deeply devoted mother and yiayia, she attended all school and community celebrations, made the most out of every holiday, and saw all three of her children through multiple university degrees. Every niece and nephew were her own, and Greece remained a beloved destination in her heart. Eleni was the most avid gardener, winning awards for her beautifully cultivated flowers and gardens around her and her children's homes. Greek and Pontian through and through, she shared her love, music, knowledge and customs with anyone willing to listen. Bonded in life and death

with her parents and siblings, Eleni never forgot her roots and those that were there for her in her life. She lived laughed, loved and will never be forgotten by those that she touched. Forever in our hearts, Eleni will remain.

Family and friends will gather at Elgin Mills Funeral Centre, 1591 Elgin Mills Rd E, Richmond Hill, for the visitation on Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The Funeral Service will be celebrated Friday, January 6, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Saints Panteleimon, Anna & Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church, 11323 Warden Avenue, Markham. After the interment at Elgin Mills Cemetery, a memorial meal will be served in the Church's lower hall.

MARCH 26, 1943 - DECEMBER 24, 2022 

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Eleni Ifandis in her 79th year of life, on  the 24th of December 2022. 

Born in Giannitsa, Nomos Pellas, Greece, she was daughter to Georgios and Anastasia  Hadzitheodorou, sister to Evdokia (Panayiotis), Theodoti (James), and Ioannis (Helen). 

Eleni immigrated to New York with her mother and brother in 1966 on the Anna Maria Ship from  Athens, Greece. She worked and went to night school where she learned the English language  and later attended community college where she obtained her diploma in computer  programming. 

In 1970 she married Vasilios Ifandis, at St Spyridon Church NYC, the handsome gentleman,  who sat at their dining table on the Anna Maria, thanks to the matchmaking efforts of her  mother. They then moved to Toronto, Canada. 

After becoming a stay-at-home-mom, she tirelessly volunteered to help the large Greek  community at McMurrich Public School. In the 1980’s she spearheaded the Greek Parents  Association and translated for Greek parents of the school. She was an active member of the  Parent Teacher Association and the TDSB Greek Liaison Committee where she contributed in  the establishment of the Greek credit program. 

She proved herself exceptionally skilled at managing the family finances, and together,  Eleni and Vasilios made an unshakable business team. They worked hard and accomplished  the immigrant dream in real estate. 

She had two daughters, Evangelia (Yianni) and Anastasia (Vasilis) to whom she lovingly  mothered, thoughtfully counselled, wisely taught, and was tirelessly ever-present and ready to  happily assist them in every way possible, she was never too busy for her children. She was a  proud grandmother of four beautiful grandchildren, Eleni, Yianni, Vasili and Amara that she  adored – and brought her the greatest of joys. 

She was an active member in her community, volunteering her time in the Association Nomos  Pellas and holding various positions including President and Secretary. 

Having lost her father at a young age and knowing how it is to live with less, she wanted to  make a difference in people’s lives by supporting the grassroots program at St George Greek  Orthodox Church which supports families in need, in her hometown of Giannitsa. The Vasilios  and Eleni Family Foundation has also supported several other organizations that have helped  people in need. 

There are no words that can express the deep loss felt by her family. She will be forever  missed. 

In lieu for flowers, donations can be made in Eleni's name to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ioanna Rombos on December 5, 2022 at the age of 82. Beloved wife of 63 years to Christos Rombos, loving mother to Lee and Tim, and proud grandmother to Thomas, Christian, Christopher and Janna.

Ioanna was an incredible woman who was loved by everyone who had the pleasure of being around her. She was not only a motherly figure to all, but also a hard-working businesswoman who helped open and run multiple restaurant concepts alongside her husband and two sons. Her knowledge and experience in the kitchen helped spur the creation of multiple recipes which are enjoyed by hundreds of Big Bone BBQ and Memphis BBQ customers every day.

When she wasn’t in the restaurant, Ioanna and her husband, Christos, were at church volunteering. Ioanna and Christos were one of the founding couples of the fellowship at St. Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church of Markham. They could be found every Sunday morning helping out at the church bright and early.  Ioanna was also a beloved member of the Ladies Philoptochos always assisting when needed. 

Most importantly, Ioanna took tremendous pride in making sure her family was taken care of and especially looked forward to every moment she could spend with her grandchildren. She would host family dinners every Monday to gather all her children and grandchildren to enjoy one of the many wonderful meals she would prepare alongside her husband.

Ioanna leaves behind a legacy of love, integrity, kindness, and hard-work that all should aspire to live up to. Her presence will be deeply missed but her memory will live forever.

May you Rest In Peace Ioanna and may your Memory be Eternal.  God Bless and continue to watch over all of us.

The following arrangements have been made for Ioanna Rombos on Thursday, December 8th, 2022:

        •       10:30am-11:30am: Public viewing at St. Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church of Markham (11323 WARDEN AVE, MARKHAM, ON L6C 1M9, CA)

        •       11:30am-12:15pm: Funeral Service at St. Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church (11323 WARDEN AVE, MARKHAM, ON L6C 1M9)

        •       Immediately following the Funeral Service, the burial will take place at Elgin Mills Cemetery (1591 Elgin Mills Road East
Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1M9)

        •       After the burial, all are welcome to join  Ioanna’s friends and family at St. Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church of Markham (11323 WARDEN AVE, MARKHAM, ON L6C 1M9) for a Memorial Luncheon in honour of Ioanna