Ioannis "John" Safaris

Ioannis John Safaris passed away on April 25, 2022, at the age of 92 years. John was born on March 1, 1930, in Gastouni, Ilias, Greece as the second oldest of seven brothers. He is predeceased by his brothers Kostantinos, Dionysios (Andriana) and Dimitrios and his nephew Kosta (Donna).

John immigrated to Canada on January 21, 1958, where he set his roots and began building his life in Calgary. There, he met Stella, his devoted wife of 59 years. In Greece, he started his career in the hospitality industry working in his family’s kafeneio. He then continued on this path in Calgary as a manager KFC, eventually opening The Wave Restaurant with his younger brother Larry. Here, he cultivated lifelong friendships and will be remembered for being a gracious, generous, and charismatic host.

John’s greatest joy was in providing for his family, and especially his grandchildren. He loved to celebrate with good friends, meze and a little bit of ouzo. In retirement, he found immense joy in working in his garden, staying connected with family, neighbors and friends in Greece and around the world. John loved traveling to Las Vegas with Stella and their friends, attending shows and nice dinners. He was an avid sports fan who watched his beloved Calgary Flames, Stampeders, and Dallas Cowboys with phone in hand, ready to call family and friends to celebrate every point. John had a great spirit of community and was a proud and devout member of the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. His Orthodox faith was the foundation of the values that he shared and instilled in his family.

The strength of his relationships was evidenced by the many family members and friends that regularly visited him at Sarcee Carewest. During his time there, he fostered friendships with doctors, nurses, staff, residents, and visitors with his signature greeting at the door, generosity, and magnetic personality.

John is survived by his wife Stella, his children George (Roberta), Helen (Gus), Harry (Vivian), his grandchildren Yiannis, Katerina, Stella, Stella, Jonathan, his brothers Andreas (Athanasia), Eleftherios (Penelope), Anastasios (Dimitra), his sister-in-law Kali, and countless nieces and nephews. 

In his final years, Mom’s loving and dedicated commitment to Dad’s well-being gifted us the opportunity to spend more quality time with our beloved father and grandfather. We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the caregivers and staff at Sarcee Carewest who showed our father, grandfather, brother, and friend immense love and compassion. Their dedication to Dad’s care showed our family the sincere kindness that exists in this world.

A Funeral Service will be held at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (1 Tamarac Crescent SW) on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at 11:00am.  Graveside Service to follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sarcee Carewest or a charity of your choice that will leave a positive impact on the community.