John Poulos' Obituary
John Poulos passed away at the age of 93 years, survived by his loving children Gus Poulos, Peggy Poulos, Lisa Fee (Ronald), and Terese Poulos Liotta (Eric), his 10 grandchildren, and many great grandchildren. John is predeceased by his parents Constantinos Georgopoulos and Panagiota Pekrimeno and his siblings, Marika Venizeleas (Panos), Helen C. Georgopoulos-Panagakis (Nick), and Dennis Georges (Gladys).
John often shared fond memories of his childhood in Greece after World War II. He had an early talent as an entrepreneur, even starting a business renting his siblings’ bicycles and selling candies much to the amusement and admiration of his parents, who encouraged him to continue with his passion for entrepreneurship.
After graduating from the Greek Naval Academy with a degree in engineering and touring many exotic ports of call with the merchant marines, John immigrated to New York in 1957 from Piraeus, Greece and made his way to Chicago. With much tenacity, courage, and hard work, his career in the United States spanned over 50 years. He was always reinventing himself. His favorite role was that of an entrepreneur, builder, and commercial interior designer with his business Liberty Fixtures and Construction. He loved creating environments where patrons could enjoy themselves and celebrate life’s special occasions. Some of his favorite design-builds included Galaxy Game Center, an arcade he built and managed during the 1980’s-90’s in the suburbs of Chicago, and restaurants like Holiday, Pearce’s Corner, and Rodity’s in Chicago’s storied Greektown neighborhood. John also held rank with the Cook County Sheriff’s department and was active as a President of the Greek Independent Voters Association of Illinois.
John will forever be remembered by his friends and family as a kind, generous, and vibrant spirit who lit up any room he was in with his excellent cooking, storytelling, and joy for life. He was always dressed to impress, stylish, and dapper, yet down to earth and deeply compassionate, caring for those he loved most, especially his four children. Visitation will be from 5-9pm at Greenwood Memorial Park on August 27th 2024. Funeral service will take place at 11am on August 28th at St. Spyridon, Greek Orthodox Church followed by internment at Greenwood Cemetery, San Diego, California.
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