John Dimitrios Karayanis

CARBONDALE – John Dimitrios Karayanis, 82, passed away at 7:08 p.m. on Monday, December 18, 2017 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.



John was born on September 17, 1935, to Dimitrios and Effrosini (Bantunas) Karagiannis in Amalias, Greece.  He married Susan Walkling of St. Louis on June 28, 1992, at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Clayton, MO.  She survives and lives in Carbondale.



Other survivors include his children, daughter Effie (George) Papadopoulos of Chicago, stepdaughter Amber (Jeff Stivison) Boisen of Columbus, OH, and stepson Devon (Nisrene Hadid) Boisen of California; grandchildren Constantina and Katerina Papadopoulos of Chicago; brothers Kostas (Fotula) Karagiannis of Amalias, Greece, George (Mary) Karagiannis of Amalias, Greece, Fotios “Frank” (Ann) Karayiannis of Carbondale, and Anastasios “Tassis” (Patricia) Karayiannis of Carbondale.



He is preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, and two brothers.



John immigrated to the United States in 1956 and became an American citizen in 1961. He served his adopted country in the U.S. Army and was stationed in France.  Following his honorable discharge from the military in 1960, he attended the University of Illinois where he graduated with a degree in mathematics.  He then attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he pursued a PhD in Economics.  John developed and operated several small businesses in the Carbondale area and was of the Greek Orthodox faith.



Funeral services for John will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 26, 2017, at the St. John of Damascus Orthodox Christian Mission Church in Carbondale with Father Tilemahos Alikakos officiating.  Burial with military rites will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Carbondale.  Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service on Tuesday at the church.  Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is in charge of arrangements.



Memorials are the preferred form of remembrance and may be made to the Karayanis Family and will be accepted at the church and the funeral home.



To share a story or memory of John, please visit www.meredithfh.com.