Dr. Evangelos Giannopoulos

Exeter, R.I. - Dr. Evangelos (Angelo) H. Giannopoulos, age 59, of Exeter, Rhode Island, passed away May 31, 2019, at home after a seven year long battle with cancer.

Angelo was born in the village of Haravgi, Pogoniou, in Epirus, Greece to Hristos Giannopoulos and Parthenia (Goumenos) Giannopoulos. Evangelos was the husband of Sandy (Xanthoula) Giannopoulos for 27 years, and a loving father to Parthenia and Eleni.

Angelo lived as a child in Greece, but immigrated to the U.S. at age 14 with his family and settled in New London. He attended New London High School, and since he did not speak English, he excelled in math and science. A few great teachers gave him the confidence to pursue engineering in college. He went on to graduate from UConn in 1981, with a degree in engineering and furthered his education with a masters degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He immediately began work at NUSC/NUWC, and continued his work in New London and Newport over the next 37 years. During this time he also earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from URI in 1999.

He was a recognized expert, both in industry and academia, in the field of sonar signal processing and automation. His efforts directly supported all the current classes of U.S. Navy submarines with his last position being Chief Engineer for Submarine and Surveillance Sonar Systems, providing the technical oversight and quality assurance for a variety of projects. He was awarded the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Bronze Award for outstanding achievement in the field of Undersea Warfare (USW) and the NUWC Decibel Award for his contributions in the field of underwater acoustics. Most importantly, Angelo was a highly-respected colleague, mentor, and friend who made a positive impact within the NUWC community and he will be deeply missed.

Angelo was a devoted parishioner of the St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church. He served on the Parish Council for 10 years, and was dedicated to sharing Greek history and culture with the next generation as director and instructor of the Newport Hellenic Dancers and the Greek School. He volunteered his time to the Greek festival, and was the beloved announcer for the dancers. His trademark whistle and exclamation of "Aren't they wonderful!?" was a hit with crowds and dancers alike.

Angelo loved to travel, walk along the beach, and watch action movies. He was an expert on the grill and always enjoyed sharing good wine and food with family and friends. When he heard his favorite songs, he was the first to get up to dance. When he was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, he approached it like a scientist, working with the doctors to participate in many trials over the past seven years, and learning as much as possible about his disease. He was always willing to take the extra step to advance the research that might lead to a cure.

Evangelos is survived by his wife, Sandy (Xanthoula) Giannopoulos; his two daughters, Parthenia and Eleni; and his brother, Nikolaos Giannopoulos and his wife, Panayiota and their children, Hristos and Athena. He also leaves his mother-in-law, Eleni Giannoutsos; his sister-in-law, Eve Giannoutsos and her husband, Armando Vivacqua and their son, Salvatore Vasili; of Astoria, New York City.

Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2019, at Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at the Memorial Funeral Home and a funeral service at 11 a.m. at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 390 Thames St, Newport. Burial will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London.

Memorial donations may be made to the St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 390 Thames St, Newport, RI 02840.

Additional information at www.memorialfuneralhome.com