Deacon John Zarras, 72, of Sherman, CT, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday afternoon, April 1, 2012, at New Milford Hospital, where he had been in hospice care for the past week. Deacon John had waged a valiant battle against carcinoid/neuroendocrine cancer.
Born in Brooklyn, NY on September 1, 1939, he was the son of the late Constantine and Mary [Nanos] Zarras. He grew up in Brooklyn and East Northport, NY, and graduated with engineering degrees from Pratt Institute and New York University. After a long career in the air freight industry, he retired as Vice President of North America from Emery Worldwide in November 2000.
He was well known for his devotion to the Church on the parish, regional, and national levels. He served as a Church School teacher, parish council member, and choir member at Saint Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church, Greenlawn, NY; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bridgeport, CT; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Indianapolis, IN; and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Dayton, OH. In 1997, he became a member of Christ the Savior Church [OCA], Southbury, CT, where he served after his ordination to the diaconate on February 2, 2003.
Deacon John received a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Crestwood, NY, in 2006. He served as President of the Saint Vladimir’s Theological Foundation and as a member of the school’s Board of Trustees. In 1998, he chaired the seminary’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee. From 2006 until 2011, he was a member of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America. He was a key member of the OCA’s Reorganization Task Force. He also served as a representative to the Fellowship of Orthodox Churches of Connecticut.
Deacon John is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Evangeline, and their four children, Dean Zarras and his wife Kirstin Townsend of Pound Ridge, NY; Theodore Zarras and his wife Stephanie of Ottawa, ON, Canada; Peter Zarras and his wife Emily of Morris Plains, NJ; and Elizabeth MacNeil and her husband Justin of Needham, MA. He also leaves 11 grandchildren: Alexia, Ben, and Tim Zarras; Anna and John Zarras; Nicholas, Michael, and Lauren Zarras; and Katherine, Christopher and Jake MacNeil. John was the beloved brother of Athanasia Arvans, Christine Draper, and Andrew Zarras.
Visitation will be held at Christ the Savior Church, 1070 Roxbury Rd., Southbury, CT, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 5. The Panikhida will be celebrated at 7:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at the church at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 6, followed by interment at Saint John Cemetery, Monroe.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, or to the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation at www.bit.ly/cfcf-zarras.
May Deacon John’s memory be eternal!
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