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Thomas Peter Katsiyiannis
December 24, 1924 ~ December 25, 2017
Thomas Peter Katsiyiannis, 93, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, December 25, 2017 in Temecula, CA. He was born on December 24, 1924 in Tripoli, Greece and immigrated to the United States in 1951.
In 1956 he married Thelma Petros and together they raised four sons. His dedication to his new found country, loving devotion to his wife and children, and strong work ethic set the course for success that will impact future generations.
Thomas is survived by his wife, Thelma, of 61 years, his sons Peter (Karen), Dean (Robyn), William (Stacy), George (Michelle), his 11 grandchildren - Thomas, Christina, Emily, Thomas, Alexander, Sarah, Thomas, Matthew, Beverly, Linda, Thomas, and two great grandchildren - Delilah and Mia.
A viewing will be held from 5:00 to 8:00pm on January 2, 2018 at England Family Mortuary in Temecula, CA. A funeral service will be held at 10:00am on January 3, 2018 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 41132 Guave St. Murrieta, CA, 92562, followed by a burial service at Temecula Public Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Thomas’ name to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Murrieta, CA.
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A Tribute to My Dad and Encouragement to My Family
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope! “
Little did he know as a young Shepard boy that God had an incredible plan that would give him and his family an amazing future and hope. A beautiful life when you think about it. Looking back and connecting the dots to see God’s plans and acts of mercy through my dad’s life, I ask, what if my dad didn’t heed that call and instead chose a course of least resistance, remained in the village and just did what was familiar to him? What if he had never boarded that ship and sailed across the Atlantic to America?
Well, staying in Greece, in his village, would have been an easier, just get by, course of action that would have done nothing to reverse the centuries of poverty, illiteracy and hopelessness. Instead, my dad, chose a course that he had to battle fear, the unknown, the unfamiliar to seek his future and have hope, to help break the bondage that had held our family captive for centuries. And as a result of that act, he met the woman of his dreams, partnered with her for 61 wonderful years, had a family and experienced a future he could only imagine as a shepherd boy and young man.
So, I ask myself, and You today, in what areas of your life are you just settling for the least course of action? In what ways have you succumbed to your fears and insecurities and have decided to live in mediocrity or to just get by? How are you remaining in only the familiar, when you know it’s time to break new ground?
Well, it’s my hope and prayer that we are inspired by the courageous act of my dad and are propelled to live with a new sense of purpose. To honor my dad and say, succeeding is no longer an option but instead it’s now an obligation.
We’re honoring my dad today with our presence and words. But, as most of you know, my dad was a man of a few words
Every time I visited, Papou would show me his beautiful garden. I also enjoyed the times he would teach me how to cook some of his delicious recipes. I learned so much from him throughout the years. My love to him and his family. Dorothy