John James
Bratsakis Sr., a captain of industry, passed into the hands of our Lord
following an unfortunate fall on April 10, 2017.
He is survived by
his immediate family: Wife Maria (Demopoulos) Bratsakis, his two sons and
daughters-in law Jim and Alexis (Mitchell) Bratsakis and John and Heather (Anastos)
Bratsakis. He was a grandparent to John and Heather’s children; Anna,
Dimitri and Dean. He is also survived by sister Betty (Bratsakis) Kontras
and brother-in-law John Demopoulos. He was a loved Uncle to nieces
Marguerite (Bratsakis) Matthews, Dr. Anna Demopoulos and Maria Demopoulos
and nephews Jim Bratsakis, George Bratsakis, Jim Kontras, Nick Flesor and
James Demopoulos.
John was born in
Kankakee, IL, to James and Marguerite Bratsakis on November 28, 1932.
John was the baby
brother to Andy (a war hero at Anzio) and sister, Irene Flesor who all
preceded him in death. He was the first Bratsakis to graduate from college
at the University of Illinois, in 1954, as a Civil Engineer. He served in
the US Army as a member of the secret Central Intelligence Corp (CIC) in
Stuttgart, Germany.
John married Maria
Demopoulos on January 21, 1962, at St. Demetrios Church, in Chicago, IL.
John and Maria traveled the globe which included trips to Australia,
following the route of the Titanic, visiting the beaches of Normandy, China
and, of course, Greece. John was a devoted father who was a leader in Indian
Guides, Cub Scouts, Band parent, founded the Valparaiso University Bench
Warmers Club, and was a Valparaiso High School football and wrestling
volunteer. He also found time to create the largest fundraiser outside the
state of Illinois for his Alma Mater called The Northwest Indiana Illini “I”
Club. He was the Valparaiso Easter Seal Chairman and Valparaiso YMCA board
President. John worked at Bethlehem Steel, JM Foster, Correct Construction
and would finish his working career at MCSI with his son Jim, where he kept
asking Jim for a raise.
Visitation will be
at Moeller Funeral Home, 104 Roosevelt Rd., Valparaiso, on Wednesday, April
12, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the Trisagion Service at 5:30 p.m.
The Funeral will be
at St. Iakovos Greek Orthodox Church at 36 W. 700 N., Valparaiso, IN, 46385,
on Thursday, April 13, with the interment service following at Graceland
Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers
the family requests donations to the St. Iakovos Greek Orthodox Church
Building Fund, please note in your donation it is in John’s memory.