Obituary of Gus Constantinos Dimitriadis

Kosta (Gus) Dimitriadis passed away suddenly on Friday, March 24th, 2017 at Bridgepoint Hospital at 96 years of age. He is predeceased by his wife, Eleni and is survived by his three devoted daughters, Nicoletta (Niki), Georgina and Vivian (Kiki), his sons-in-law, Kosta, Alan, and Phil, his grandchildren, Maggie, Alexia, Elena, Nicholas, Brandon, Thallia, Alex, and his great-grandchildren Hunter and Anais. Kosta was a vibrant, generous and unconventional man who loved his family deeply and believed strongly in socialist principles. Sharing personal and cultural stories was an important part of his life. Often, to teach us life lessons, he would sit us down and tell us a fable written by Aesop or a tale by the ancient Greeks. He had a phenomenal memory and wrote extensively recalling in detail people, places and events especially during the German occupation. In one of the passages in his memoirs, Kosta was able to retell stories his grandfather had told him about his own grandfather in the 1870’s. He would engage in lively discussions about religion, politics and world issues drawing on world facts and history to illustrate his point of view. To us, he was a combination of Zorba and Odysseus having a zest for life and a constant desire to return to his beloved Greece. He loved his homeland and was a staunch Greek Patriot right to the end. Kosta had wit, charm and a passion for life. If he could, he would dance everywhere and anywhere. As young children, we could hear him singing in the kitchen belting out Resistance songs. He was born February 2nd, 1921 in Spilia, a small mountain village in Thessaly, Greece where he had fond memories of his childhood. His early adulthood was full of challenges marked by poverty, war and political unrest. Although his education was halted by war, he became a teacher during the Greek Resistance. Due to political and economic circumstances, he came to Canada where his life mirrored the immigrant experience. However, with sheer determination, hard work and his wife, Eleni by his side, he succeeded and prospered. Years later, he was able to pursue his interests and enrich his life through travel, reading, writing and politics. He loved gardening, cooking, spending time at Georgian Bay and at the farm. He was a man who placed great value on human experiences and interaction and less on material things. Kosta was a social activist and long time member of the Greek Democratic Resistance Organization, believing in universal human rights and social justice. As far back as we can remember, he would go to demonstrations, marches or lectures and often we would be right by his side. Kosta wanted us to have a clear understanding of Greek and global political issues. His recipe for longevity was a Mediterranean diet, an apple first thing in the morning and a glass of wine at 4:00 in the afternoon. In his final years, he was extremely fortunate to have Elsa, his caregiver, who provided our father with exceptional care and compassion. We are so very grateful that in later life, he was able to spend quality time with us and especially with his grand children and great grandchildren. He was and is an inspiration to so many of us, instilling the importance of family, a passion for life and a commitment to fairness and justice for all. Cremation took place on Monday, March 27th after his immediate family had a private time to say goodbye. We will be sharing stories and memories on Sunday, April 2nd at the Greek Canadian Democratic Organization on 290 Danforth Avenue from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.