Vasilios (Basil) John Giannaras

Vasilios (Basil) John Giannaras, 77, of New Castle, DE and Brigantine, NJ, passed away at the Atlantic City Medical Center, NJ, on Monday, November 25, 2013, after a sudden illness. Mr. Giannaras was born on June 16, 1936 in Dorothy, West (By God) Virginia and moved to Whitesville, WV when he was a small child. He was a graduate of Sherman High School, Class of 1954, where he played defensive tackle on the varsity football team. He was a 1958 graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, WV where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation from college, he moved to Wilmington, DE, where he accepted an engineering position with Allied Chemical. He subsequently was employed by the State of Delaware as Director of Physical Plant Maintenance for the Delaware State Hospital where he held that position until his retirement in 1991. He was a long time member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Egg Harbor Township, NJ and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Wilmington, DE where he served on the Parish Council and the Greek Festival Committee for many years. For all the years that he lived in Delaware, he never forgot his roots deeply embedded in the coalfields of southern West Virginia. He traveled to Greece many times to visit his friends and family. He enjoyed nothing more than making an exceptional batch of ouzo from a hundred-year-old family recipe handed down to him from his father and smoking a fine cigar. He married Demetra Karapanagiotis of Athens, Greece and Wilmington, DE on April 24, 1960, who survives. He is also survived by his three sons John Giannaras (Paula) of Elkton, MD, Chris Giannaras of Abingdon, MD, and George Giannaras (Nikki) of Bethlehem, PA; one sister, Irene Giannaras Tsambikos of Fallston, MD; seven grandchildren William, Joseph, Katharine, Nicholas, Alexander, Georgia, and Christopher Giannaras, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Athanasia (Vergis) Giannaras, and one sister, Helen Giannaras Pavlidies. Visitation will be held from 7 pm until 9 pm on Friday, November 29, 2013 at the Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE. A funeral service will be held at 12 Noon on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 808 N. Broom St, Wilmington, DE Ž19806, DE. Interment will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Lancaster Ave. and DuPont Road, Wilmington, DE. Memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 7004 Ridge Avenue, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 or to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 808 N Broom St, Wilmington, DE Ž19806.

Vasilios (Basil) John Giannaras

June 16, 1936 - November 25, 2013