Obituary of Mrs. Sophia Sarantakos
Tribute to Our Beloved Mother
Our loving mother, Sophia Sarantakos (nee Voga), was born in Psari, Messinia, Greece on April 25, 1939 to
Giorgos and Maria Vogas. She was the second youngest of eight children, all of whom she loved and
cherished.
Our mom's love for her family was deep and she had a clear understanding of the sacrifices her brothers had
to make within their Greek household. She knew that her brothers would not settle down until their younger
sisters had the necessary dowries for marriage. This understanding led our mom to choose a new path for
herself, a path that took her far from her family to a new country with a new way of living.
For two years, our mom worked as an au pair with the Slate family. There she helped with housework as well
as providing care for the family’s three young children.
In 1962, our mother attended the wedding of her first cousin, Georgia, where she caught the eye of a very
handsome young man named John. John was the co-worker and best friend of the groom, Taso. After some
time, letters sent to and from Greece, visits to Oria by various family members, and the case of a missing shoe,
our parents John and Sophia were married on June 23rd, 1963. The happy couple welcomed four children;
Vasili, Giorgo, Dimitra and Evagelea. Together, Sophia and John raised their family in the Greek Orthodox
Church and taught their children Greek customs and traditions they held close to their hearts including their
core family values.
During this time, our parents owned and operated various restaurants in the Toronto area. In 1981, they took a
leap of faith and bought a restaurant called Beaverton Fish & Chips. In this restaurant, their children
participated in the daily running of the shop, learning important lessons in hard work and dedication, while
gaining important life skills.
After retiring from the restaurant business, mom and dad returned to their home on Old Sheppard and
reconnected with friends, family, and neighbours. As many people know, our mom was not one to sit around.
Her need for social interaction led her to joining the Pan Arkadian Women’s Association where she helped to
organise various Greek community functions and holiday events. With her natural leadership skills and tireless
efforts, she served on the association for over 20 years. People were drawn to her big personality, her
welcoming arms and fun loving ways.
Both of our parents were delighted when their family grew. They welcomed and loved their daughter-in-laws
Angeliki and Tricia, and their son-in-law Robert. They were over the moon with joy when the family grew even
more with the addition of grandchildren John/Hannah, Nickolas/Amelia, Sophia/Meghan, Jacob, Maggie, Evan,
and great grandchild Jude. Our mom was so excited to learn that our family would be welcoming one more
bundle of joy in the upcoming months.
Our mom was a strong willed woman. She did not wait around for things to happen, she made things happen.
She will always be remembered as a successful business woman, a devoted community member, a beloved
daughter, sister, aunt, but most importantly, as a cherished wife and mother. Her boisterous laughter, infectious
smile and sounds of jingling bracelets will forever be etched in the minds of her beloved family and friends.
May her memory be eternal.
