George Kiroplis, husband of Anna (Avramidis), and father of Chris, Tom and Len, passed away peacefully on January 4th, 2017, surrounded by his family in Inglewood, Ontario.

George was born in Pentalofos, Kozani, Greece on October 30th, 1934. At the age of thirteen, he started working with his father each summer in Thessaloniki as a stone mason and brick layer. It was there where he met his future wife, Anna, and began his courtship with her. In 1963, he moved to Toronto, Canada to reunite with Anna who had emigrated three years prior. They got married in January 1964 and started their family that same year.

George never forgot his Greek village and visited his sister and many friends there several times throughout his life. He worked as a general labourer in Brampton at a steel factory and then a wallpaper plant until his retirement in 1999. In the economically challenged eighties, he took a second job as a cook on weekends. In his spare time, when he was not driving his sons to their sports activities, he enjoyed watching the daily news to keep on top of world politics and socializing with family and friends on Saturday evenings while watching Hockey Night in Canada. He had a passion for Greek music, poetry and sayings and his great memory allowed him to recite lyrics and sing songs to his children and grandchildren throughout the years.

During his retirement, he thoroughly enjoyed being around his grandchildren and interacting at large family functions either at his own home or the home of one of his three sons. George was a humble, simple man who kept his doors open at all times for friends and relatives.

He exhibited enormous strength and courage this past year before succumbing to his battle with lung cancer. Surviving him in addition to his wife Anna are his sons, Chris and his wife Effie (Sourlis) and their children Irene, Helen, Anna and George; Tom and his wife Kathy (Barlas) and their children George, Maria and Constandina; Len and his wife Georgia (Kremmydiotis) and their children Nikolas and Anna Stavroula; his sister Lefkothea and many in-laws, nieces and nephews. George was predeceased by his beloved parents, Christos and Stavroula Kiroplis.

The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support in many heart-felt forms from their friends and relatives. We would like to thank the CCAC team with Aline Payne, and all the home care personal support workers from VON with a special mention to Chiranjit, who provided care to George especially over the last year and Doreen. We would also like to thank Dr. Takhar, Barbara and other nurses and support staff from the Queen Square Home Health Team for providing medical care.

Funeral services will be held at Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church at 1785 Matheson Blvd, Mississauga on Tuesday January 10th at 10am, where relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visitation will be held on Monday January 9th from 5pm to 9pm and on Tuesday morning, prior to the funeral service, from 8 am to 9 am at Meadowvale Cemetery, 7732 Mavis Rd, Mississauga. Contributions may be made in George's memory to St. Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery (http://www.saintkosmasaitolosgomonastery.org/) or to a charity of your choice.