Obituary of Ilias Apostolos Margaris

Ilias Apostolos Margaris, 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 22nd, 2017, at his home in Budd Lake. Ilias was born in the mountain village of Petrilia Karditsas, Greece, to parents Apostolos and Agoritsa Margaris in 1925, the youngest of nine siblings. Ilias immigrated to the United States with his wife and four children in 1975, settling in Detroit, Michigan. The hard-working couple had a beautiful life filled with family and friends. Ilias retired in 1988, and enjoyed visiting his homeland of Greece with his wife every summer thereafter. Ilias had the natural inclination to help others throughout his life, humbly giving of himself when opportunity arose. Ilias was often found with a pocket full of hard candies, singing hymns or short songs, reading Greek newspapers, writing poems, and telling antidotes to his grandchildren. Ilias was married to the late Antigoni Margaris for 59 years. In his later years, he contributed poems for the newspaper of his village in Greece, and enjoyed telling stories to all about his life in the “horio.” Ilias lived a rich and full life surrounded by loved ones. He filled every room with his light and cheerful presence, always taking time to make all those around him feel included. Ilias is survived by his loving and grateful family; his four children, Apostolos Margaris and wife Maria of MI, Agoritsa “Rita” Balaskonis and husband John of NJ, Fotini “Faye” Jelis and husband Vaios of NJ, Lemonia Feredinos of NC; Nine grandchildren, Valerie and John Amato of NJ, Panayiota and Nick Delis of NJ, Louie and Jessica Margaris of MI, John and Stala Jelis of NJ, Annie Margaris of MI, Louie and Christina Jelis of NJ, Stacy and George Kroustalis of NC, Antigone and Ryan Gragg of NC, and Stavros Feredinos of NC. Also, two great grandsons, Johnathan and Christopher Amato, and many nieces and nephews in Greece and the United States. Arrangements by Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph. Visitation Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 10:00-11:00AM with a service at 11:00AM at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, Randolph. Interment to follow at Locust Hill Cemetery, Dover.