John T. Kirages was born on January 2, 1933, in Dansville, New York to parents Thomas and Afrodite Kirages. John has always joked that he was supposed to be a New Year's baby, but he stuck his head out and it was so cold in the Buffalo area that he decided to stay another day. He was the second-born son and is survived by his elder brother George. John was married on March 2, 1968 to Demetra Pappas. John has two sons, Thomas John Kirages (Jennifer) and Daniel John Kirages (Kassandra). His greatest joy was his five grandchildren. Thomas's children are J.T. (19), Alex (16), and Sydney (15). Daniel's children are Lucas (13) and Juliet (10).

John and his brother George spent much of their youth working at their father's restaurant in Tipton, Indiana. Many hours, before and after school, were spent cleaning dishes, mopping floors, working the register, and serving food at Tom's Cafeteria. At Tipton High School he participated in the high school band, served as class vice president and president, but his greatest love was playing basketball. John graduated from high school in 1952, then attended the University of Illinois studying electrical engineering. He enrolled in the ROTC program and upon graduation in 1956, he received a degree in engineering and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force.

John accepted employment with an aerospace company in Southern California and was there for six months when he was called to active duty in the Air Force. He attended navigator school at Harlingen Air Force Base in Texas, then moved to James Connally Air Force base in Waco, training as a Radar Interceptor Officer. Upon graduation from Radar school, John was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force in Oscoda, Michigan, where he spent the remainder of his three-year enlistment in the Air Force. He resigned as a First Lieutenant in 1960, then returned to Southern California and took a job with North American Aviation, which was later renamed Rockwell International. He remained with Rockwell for the next 39 years where he had top-secret clearance as a systems engineer.

John met his beloved wife, Demetra Pappas, in September 1967 at a party given by a mutual friend. John called Demetra the next day and asked if she was interested in a date for the following Saturday. She did not know who he was until he explained that he was the one who sat on her lap when the group photograph was taken. She then remembered and accepted the invitation. They were married on March 2, 1968 at Saint Sophia Cathedral with the reception at the Huntington Hotel in Pasadena.

After a brief honeymoon, they lived in an apartment for six months before they moved into a new home in Arcadia, California. Their children, Thomas and Daniel were born in 1969 and 1972. Over the next few years, John's work with Rockwell required him to travel frequently. He also attended law school and graduated with his law degree in 1976.

Family, church, and education were most important to John. He was active with Saint Sophia Church his entire life, especially with GOYA basketball. With two sons, his love of basketball resurfaced by teaching the boys basketball fundamentals on the driveway, followed by the court as the coach of the Saint Sophia GOYA team. He served as the church basketball board representative for eight years.

John retired from Rockwell in 1999 and spent his time on house repairs and small projects. John was the biggest fan of the grandchildren's sports games and dance recitals. He was an avid Big 10 and Angels baseball fan and loved to dance, but his greatest love was just being by the side of his sweetheart, Demie, whom he is survived by.

Funeral service at 10:30am on Monday, May 3, 2021 at Saint Sophia Cathedral, 1324 S. Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006. Due to covid restrictions, interment and luncheon are private.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapman Funeral Homes - Terry & Mary Harmon, Funeral Directors. Toll free (855) 628-0447.

______________________________

Obituary notice for Chapman Funeral Homes. Please visit www.chapmanfuneraldirectors.com .

AmericanObituary.com is a Baywalk Marketing service.

facebook.com/AmericanObituary - twitter.com/AmericaObituary