John Manousogiannakis

John Manousogiannakis, age 77, of Akron, Ohio, he was peacefully received into the loving arms of Christ on Friday, December 8, 2017.

He was born on August 10, 1940 in Crete, Greece, the son of the late Giorgios and Eleni Manousogiannakis.

John was retired from Akron Central Engraving in 2012. He had a passion for the Lord; he enjoyed gardening by working the earth with his hands. He was generous of heart and loved to fellowship with family and friends.

Survivors include his devoted wife, the former Despina Psarouthakis whom he married on May 9, 1966; his loving children, Eleni (Mark Nolan) Manousgiannakis and George Manos; his adoring grandchildren, Sefra Manos and Melina Nolan.



o, What I am about to share, some are my words, some are my brother's. The words are intertwined as was our love for our Baba. It seems surreal that he is gone. Babouli mou. I have thought about what I would say at such a time, hoping the dreaded day would never come. Yet, I wanted to make sure I left nothing unsaid to my sweet Baba.I wanted to make sure I thanked him for everything he had ever done for me over and over and over again. And so I did. Born on the paradise island of Crete, the pearl of the Mediterranean on August 10, 1940. From a little shepherd boy at the tender age of 4 to the Arms of the Great Shepherd on December 8, 2017.

My first memory of my Baba was of holding his hand. He loved to hold my hand and my brother's hand. I remember walking though the mall with him and looking up into his fist that encompassed all my little fingers. Even as I grew up, I never stopped holding his hand. He had told me once that he longed to hold his Father's hand but couldn't so it meant the world to him to hold his children's hands and his wife's hands. So, even as a teenager and later an adult, I never let go of those strong, loving hands. He gave me away as a Bride with those hands. He hugged his family with those hands. He held his grandchildren with those hands. And yes, he had worked very hard with those hands all his life from his days as a shepherd boy, to climbing mountains, to seeking adventures and a better life in Germany and then later Canada and the USA…It's those strong hands I will miss. He threw his hand out to greet you. He had a smile on his face and a story from his childhood on his lips and always food and Greek coffee to share. We didn't have much growing up but we were very rich in family, friendships and sharing food and conversation around the kitchen table. He loved food, mama's Greek hamburgers and baba loved to cook out on the grill. He would sneak a nibble of whatever he was grilling and then sneak my Doberman, Athena a rib any chance he had. He loved to Garden and work the land. He had the biggest gardens and the best vegetables. He had the green thumb times ten. He would fill bags and bags with his vegetables and get in the car with my mom and off they were to share! He was very proud of his garden and his ability to provide from the earth. He would give Sefra and Brian and Hanna rides on the lawn mower around the yard. Athena would chase them and we would all laugh.

Our Mother, George and myself want to honor his memory because he was a real loving father cared about other people and always tried to be a peace maker. Anyone that took the time to know him knew what a great guy he was. He always would be happy to see you and have you stay over and eat. He loved company. Had a big heart. Helped people personally that we're homeless, needed a place to stay, needed groceries to eat or money for gas. The list is long but only I can say a little now. How can you put on paper in in photographs in a few short minutes what took life time to experience?
He was always supportive of his family. He loved everyone. All his family from spouse to his children, niece's, nephews, brothers and sisters. He really adored and loved his grandchildren. Sefra was the apple of his eye. He would throw his arms open wide when she was little and she would go running into them where he would whisk her up and tickle her with his mustache while he held her in the air. He loved to watch Melina dance and twirls around our living room and played board games with her. Particularly, the "Spinning Game" He would always laugh when she would call him Moustakali. Which means big mustache in Greek. Or say "Peponi" Greek for watermelon. They used to chase butterflies in the yard and catch them in a net. He also loved Alexis and Mark. He was always a helper and giver to his family, friends and strangers.
My father had a life that was hard as a child. Growing up starving, not always knowing when he would get his next meal, not having shoes till he was 12. He would work as a child and send money to his family. He worked as a servant boy to a wealthy man in another village taking care of the farm and house. The family he was indentured to was not kind to him. He joined the Greek military once he turned the requisite age. He was a handsome soldier in the Greek army. I loved all the stories of the practical jokes he and his army buddies would play on each other. I loved hearing them over and over and over again. I never got tired of hearing the same ones no matter how many times I had heard them before.

My father learned a trade and help build foundations and walls for houses as a young man. He certainly gave my mom, George and myself a firm foundation. He came to know Christ in 1980 as his personal Lord and Savior. Some of the best times of my life happened then. We got to fellowship with other believers, eat lots of Greek food and pastries and learn much about the Bible. He would get us in the car and off we would go to a Bible study or prayer meeting. We would sing spiritual songs in the car and I remember, foggy nights where he would be gripping the steering wheel guiding us through the impenetrable darkness to get us to wherever we needed to go. Now I pray that God would get us through this merciless fog of pain as I picture not only Jesus, but our Baba, MY Babouli, holding my hand, grabbing the steering wheel and driving through the pain.

George and I spent the last week with him in the hospital. My mom held his hand and never left his side once. She loved him so much and will love him forever. George and I would alternate from rubbing his legs to holding his other hand. He had comforted me so many times with those hands and I had comforted him when he and mama would come over and he couldn't sleep he'd ask me to hold his hand and comfort him Thank you to those of you who knew and loved him. Thank you to my husband, Mark who always opened up our home to my parents. We spent a lot of time with my parents over the years. Mama would cook, Baba would tell stories or just enjoy our company. We would share our friends and the extended Nolan family with them. But, now he is gone and what I wouldn't do to hold his hand and tell him one more time: "Thank you Baba for everything. I cherish you and the guidance you gave me. I thank you for always holding my hand." I will miss the way you said my name and you asked:"tea kanees pedi mou". I will miss the way you looked at me with utter adoration.




Funeral services will be private.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Newcomer Funeral Home, 131 North Canton Road, Akron.