John Kalinoglou

John A. Kalinoglou

March 31, 1938 - November 5, 2024

John was born on March 31, 1938 in Washington, D.C. to Abraham and Anna Kalinoglou. Greeks who emigrated from Cappadocia, Turkey, his parents were devout Orthodox Christians. John began his service to the church early as an altar boy. He continued as a devoted servant to the church his entire life, making his faith and his family a priority.

John held leadership roles in the Greek Orthodox Youth of America, served on Parish Councils and taught Sunday School in every community he resided. He was instrumental in creating and managing an Endowment Fund for the Annunciation Cathedral in Atlanta and was a Parish council president, advised on the boards of the Diakonia Retreat Center and later the Endowment Foundation. He served on the Archdiocese Religious Education team to set up a Teenage Curriculum. In 2002, he was awarded Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Aktuarios).

While attending a Sunday School teacher's conference at Saint Basil's Academy in Garrison, NY, John met Chryssa Paraskevopoulos who was arriving from Greece to attend the Teachers College. They kept correspondence through letters while John was in the U.S. Army. On November 28, 1964, John and Chryssa were married at Saints Constantine and Helen Church in Washington, D.C. In the following years they lovingly raised two daughters, moving from Maryland to Florida and then to Georgia.

John retired early after 31 years with the telephone company. His career began with C&P telephone in Washington, DC, then worked on the new digital systems at Southern Bell in Palm Beach, Florida, eventually becoming a strategic planning manager at Bell South in Atlanta, Georgia.

John fought numerous illnesses for several years, researching remedies with his distinctive intelligence and vigor, eventually succumbing to cancer. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Chryssa, their daughters Anna Laura and Julia, and grandson John Parker Overton.

+ We pray that his memory is eternal in the kingdom of our Lord.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Endowment Foundation.