Falling Asleep in the Lord of Archon Regional Commander Emeritus Harold A. Peponis of the Metropolis of Chicago
December 12, 1928 to May 12, 2019
Mr. Harold A. Peponis was son of the late Arthur H. and Ethel (Karambis) Peponis and husband of the late Toula (Preketes) Peponis. He is lovingly celebrated by his wife Aphrodite “Faye” (Karras); son Arthur H. Peponis and step-children Kathryn, George (Despina) and Troy (Evagella) Stavros. He was proud papou of Keith, Alyssa (Brandt), Julianna, Maria, Alexandria, Kyri, Remington and Georgia Faye; dear brother of the late James A. (Catherine) Peponis; brother-in-law of Nathan (Kate) and George (Becky) Karras; cousin of the late V. Rev. J. Gabriel Karambis and fond uncle of many nieces and nephews and their families.
Mr. Peponis served the Church in every position open to a layman, from altar boy to Reader as conferred by His All Holiness Patriarch Athenagoras of blessed memory. In 1993, he was honored with the title of Archon Depoutatos of the Order of St. Andrew of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and served as Regional Commander for the Metropolis of Chicago. In 1998, Mr. Peponis received the Medal of St. Paul of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
His work in the Church also includes serving as a Parish Council member continuously since the age of nineteen; leading Annunciation Cathedral of Chicago and St. Demetrios Church of Chicago as Parish Council President. He was Sunday School teacher, member of the church choir and member and officer of the Hellenic Choral Society. He served on the Annunciation Cathedral of Chicago Parish Council, the Metropolis Council of Chicago, the Archdiocesan Council and was an active member of the Board of the St. Iakovos Retreat Center. He was Chairman of the Board of Orthodox Christian Coalition for Healthy Youth.
As the Metropolis of Chicago representative to Ecumenism Metro Chicago, he worked to bring Christians together in prayer and understanding and participated in the Pilgrimage of Love to Constantinople and Rome led by Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago and Cardinal George of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. He was co-author with his wife Aphrodite of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago, Its History and Iconography. Mr. Peponis was an insurance broker and held a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Religious Education from Loyola University.
