James Gianaris

JAMES N. GIANARIS

James “Jimmy” Gianaris, age 94, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, passed away on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.  He was born in beautiful town of Georgitsion (Georgetown), Greece on Mt. Taygettos overlooking the Eurotas River Valley in Sparta, on January 5, 1925 a son of  Nicholas and Elaine (Antonopoulos) Gianaris.

Jimmy was a devoted and strong husband, father, and grandfather.  He dedicated himself to his family and the Church.  He could recite Modern Greek poems, Greek mythology stories, and the Psalms of the Bible that he learned from his education in Greece.  He especially loved helping at his parish, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

He was a Restaurateur who grew businesses in Castle Shannon (The Burg ‘N Dog Inn on Mt. Lebanon Boulevard) and in Bethel Park (Demar Coffee Shop at 5306 Library Road).  During his tenure his steady customers loved him for his banter and counseling, and for always remembering their food orders as they walked into the door of Jimmy’s home away from home.  His customers loved his breakfasts, cheesesteaks, and gyro meals and he served them with a cheerful smile.  Jimmy was the unofficial mayor of Bethel Park until he sold Demar Coffee Shop and retired in 2005.

He dedicated his retirement to caring for his wife and his daughter, and assuring his son had someone to look upon and seek the right answers to “WWJD”, “What would Jimmy do?”  At family gatherings, Jimmy (Uncle Jimmy to many) would share the happy stories of his life, even making the times of war and poverty sound pleasant.  He leaves a legacy in the heart to all who knew him and to those who never got to know him, his love will continue to conquer in stories about him.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by all but one of his siblings, George, Maria, Angela, Paul, Louis and Astireni.  He is survived by his wife, Maria; his two children, Nicholas and Elaine; a granddaughter, Alexandria and his brother, Peter (Dorothy) Gianaris.

Jimmy’s family had a Trisagion Service on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 7 PM in the Stephen D. Slater Funeral Home 1701 Route 51 Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania 15025 (412 – 384 – 0350).  A visitation was held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM in the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 123 Gilkeson Road, Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania 15228, with with his funeral liturgy following at 9:30 AM.  He is buried in Jefferson Memorial Park Cemetery, Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania 15236.

If desired the Gianaris family requests donations be made in Jimmy’s name to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church or the Rotary International Foundation www.rotary.org.

Jimmy passed to Christ our Lord on the Feast Day of Agia Skepi (Holy Protection of the Theotokos), and may his Memory be Eternal!