George John Papadopoulos, 79, of Front Royal, Virginia passed away Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at Winchester Medical Center surrounded by his loved ones.

Mr. Papadopoulos was born in 1938 in Omali, Greece, the son of the late Yanni and Despina Papadopoulos, both displaced refugees from a war with Turkey. Both parents died in Greece’s civil war conflict after WWII. Although he was left in the care of a step mother on a farm, he left the farm to join a boys boarding school where he studied ancient Greek and Latin. He displayed a knack for languages all through his life. Years later, he received a scholarship to the University of Maine by convincing an interviewer he could speak English. He graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He would eventually settle in the Washington DC area and hold a managing position in the DC Water Department.

George was a Renaissance man who enjoyed gardening, beekeeping, raising chickens, and fishing. He also had a passion for ceramics, painting, poetry, gourmet cooking, and playing the mandolin. George was very talented in so many ways….inventing and creating things and lending his hand and advice about carpentry to his children. A loving husband, extraordinary father and grandfather that is missed.

He married Dionisia Aristea Georgiou on June 30, 1968 in East Orange, New Jersey.

Surviving with his wife is a daughter, Nina Aristea Papadopoulos (Jon Kurtz) of Washington, D.C.; sons, John Themistocles Papadopoulos (Maryte) and Alexi George Papadopoulos (Wendy) both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; grandchildren, Ari Lauck Kurtz-Papadopoulos and Elias George Kurtz-Papadopoulos of Washington, D.C.; Mike, Athena, and Evangelia Papadopoulos of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and his beloved cat, Tiger.

Along with his parents, Mr. Papadopoulos was preceded in death by a sister, Niki Doussi.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on Monday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.

A funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Monday at Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, Winchester, Virginia with Father Michael Kontogiorgis officiating. A celebration of life reception will follow the service at Omps Reception Center, Amherst Chapel. Interment will be private.