It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dimitrios Samiotis, on Tuesday May 7thth, 2024 at the age of 91. He leaves to mourn his children George (Leslie-Anne), Theodora (Michael), and Peter, as well as his beloved grandchildren Nicole, and James.

Dimitrios was born on July 1st, 1932 in Kranidi, Argolidos, Greece. In his youth, he would never have guessed that he would end up sharing that birthday with his adopted home – Canada.

The aftermath of WW II and the ensuing Greek Civil War left many villages with few opportunities for young men. In 1961, the 29 year-old Dimitrios decided to join the Hellenic Merchant Navy. Over the next three years he literally sailed the seven seas, visiting ports on six continents and transiting through both the Panama and Suez Canals. He danced young ladies off their feet from Argentina to Zanzibar. In 1964, he decided to disembark in Halifax and head to Montreal where he had a cousin. There, he met his future wife, Vasiliki Tavoularis, a strong-willed Maniatissa with a kind heart. They were married in 1965 and set out on a voyage of their own together. They worked very hard building a new life and raising three children. He trained to become a painter and carpenter and for many years ran his own business. Later, he joined Dorel Industries where he applied those skills to countless projects for some 30 years and was affectionately known as ‘Jimmy the Greek’, the go-to person when something needed fixing. But throughout his life and especially in his retirement, he got the most satisfaction from working on his own homes and restoring furniture.

He was never happier than seeing his children George, Theodora, and Peter navigate the new world of Canada. This joy was redoubled when he became a Papou to Nicole and James, who were a new generation that he spoiled with the fruits of his new hobbie of deal hunting at Winners. But he never forgot where his own voyage started. Later in life, he navigated back to Kranidi, where he spent every summer for over 20 years in the home he had built on his family’s ancestral land – fulfilling a life-long dream. His last voyage there was in 2022 at age 90.

He will be fondly remembered by many in Greece and in Canada, especially at those family meals where we will continue to enjoy his favourite Greek wines and imported olive oil from...
where else? – Kranidi.

Due to ongoing delays at the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery, Visitations will take place on
Monday, May 27th, 2024 from 4-9pm
at Urgel Bourgie Athos Funeral Complex
1255 Beaumont Avenue, Town of Mount-Royal.

The Funeral Service will be held on
Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 at 10am
at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral
2455 Chem. de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St Raphael Palliative Care Home and Day Centre: https://maisonstraphael.org/en/