James A. Harris' Obituary
James A. Harris aka Dimitrios Xaritopoulos
87 years young; at rest December 12th, 2017 in Clearwater Florida.
Born February 28th 1930 in Mykonos Greece to Marina (nee Zouganeli) and Apostolos T. Xaritopoulos.
Jimmy as his Joliet pals called him and Dimitri as his Mykonos buddies addressed him, was born and raised on one of the most beautiful islands on the planet, although in his youth it was both impoverished and poor. His formal classroom education ended in the 6th grade, bare foot and a struggling fisherman, trying to help his family survive after WWII; but that never diminished his thirst for knowledge and a love of reading. Eventually he moved to Athens to work in a garage, as life at the mercy of the sea would always be a gamble. A Sunday afternoon joyride with one of the client’s cars brought him to the US; he totaled the car and knowing it would take him years to pay for the damage if he remained in Greece, he joined the merchant marines. He travelled and saw quite a bit of the world and paid off his debt. In 1956, he landed on American shores and made his way to Joliet, a suburb of Chicago, a town many Mykonians had made their adopted home. He met Sophia Koukas, a daughter of Mykonian immigrants, and within a few months, they married. In 1960 twin siblings, Paul and Stacey, were born. No stranger to hard work, his first jobs were painting bridges. Eventually, he went into business for himself creating “Mykonos Painting Company,” specializing in both industrial and home painting. The family remained in Joliet, with strong ties to the Greek Community and the Orthodox Church. Dimitri and his family travelled to Greece regularly to visit the many friends and relatives in Mykonos and the Mainland. He served as an active and dedicated member and officer of The Mykonos Society as well as Joliet’s AHEPA organization. A lifelong fisherman and lover of the sea, he always enjoyed spending time on the water in a boat, particularly in Florida where he would spend most winters. A devoted, loving husband who exemplified what it meant to be a spouse in sickness and in health, Sophia died in 2004, ending 48 years of marriage. Dimitri remarried longtime friend, Dr. Josette Behrend. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2011. In 2014 he moved permanently to Florida’s Tampa Bay area, where he has lived with his partner Maria Schiefner.
There are very few people that knew Dimitri that had not been touched by his kindness and generosity, always willing to help in anyway he could.
Survived by his partner, Maria Schiefner, of Clearwater, FL, son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Alex Harris of Cary, IL, daughter, Stacey Harris-Papaioannou of Mykonos Greece, Grandchildren, James, Frank, (Danielle) and Arianna Harris, Aristos and Dimitris Papaioannou, Brothers Antonis and Michalis Xaritopoulos of Athens Greece, and many nieces and nephews in Joliet, Clearwater and Greece, and of course Koukla, his darling dog.
Preceded in death by his first spouse Sophia (Koukas) Harris, second spouse, Dr. Josette (Behrend) Harris, his sister, Maria Sigalas and his brothers, Theodoros, Nikiforos, and Andreas.
Visitation will start 10am Saturday, December 16 will the Trisagion service at 11am at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mykonos Society, 102 Broadway, Joliet, IL 60435
“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”
Dr. Seuss
“It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives.”
Samuel Johnson
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Mark Twain
Dimitri will be remembered for his many acts of kindness and generosity by all those he touched.
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