JOHN PAUL TAKIS

(Panayiotis), Ed. D., of Dewitt Township, Michigan, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, November 8, 2006. Dr. Takis, born in Detroit, Michigan on April 10, 1923, was a teacher of industrial education at Ferndale High School and Detroit Northwestern High School. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U. S. Army Air Corps in Goose Bay, Labrador. Previous to his teaching career, he was a restaurant owner and a tool and die maker for the Chrysler Corporation, where he helped to design and build the engine of the Redstone rocket that took the first Americans into space. He received his bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University. During his teaching years, he was a noted leader and pioneer in the field of co-operative career education. He was beloved by his students, many of who kept contact with him throughout their lives. In 1978, he was named both National and Michigan Industrial Education Society Teacher of the Year. Dr. Takis retired in 1982 and was an avid geologist and lapidary. He was a gregarious person and made friends easily. He was a member of Assumption Greek Orthodox Christian Church in Flint, Michigan. He leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Alexandria (Costopoulos) Takis, three children and their spouses, Constance Marie (Takis) and Stephen Vicknair, Stanley and Nancy (Chalker) Takis, and Gerald and Mary (Sarelis) Takis, two nephews, Vasili and John Kapenekas, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents, Stylianos and Marie (Halacyan) Takis, and his sister Anna (Takis) Preston. Visitation will be on Friday, November 10, at the Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, Michigan, from 2-4 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. with a Trisagion service at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Dormition of the Mother of God Orthodox Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan, (located west of US-127 off the Berry Rd. exit, between Lansing and Jackson), on Saturday, November 11, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Fr. Ignatios J. Achlioptas and the Rev. Fr. Charles Sarelis presiding. Interment will follow immediately at the cemetery in the monastery. Charitable contributions in Dr. Takis' name can be made to Zane Vicknair for the restoration of the fire-damaged Golden Harvest restaurant in Lansing, and may be sent to Stan Takis, 1900 Burkley Rd., Williamston, MI 48895.