Ω Πατερας

Ιωαννης Βαβαγιακης – John Vavagiakis

Born: July 10 1924, Paleochora, Crete
Died: August 5 2014, Kounoupidiana, Crete

John was born in Paleochora in 1924 to Olga Belechakis Vavagiakis and Efstratios Vavagiakis. Olga was from Gavdos off the south of Crete. Olga later changed her name to Maria. After a health incident in which her prayers to the Virgin Mary were answered she changed her name to Maria as promised in her prayers. She was 15 yrs. old when she gave birth to John. After the death of her husband she moved to the Xalepa neighborhood in Chania with her children which included two daughters, Tasoula, and Evangelio (later immigrated to Melbourne, Australia).

John worked in construction when he arrived in the U.S. Eventually he started his own business of building houses and then selling them in Queens, NY. His partner was George Zannikos and their business was JG Construction.