Obituary of Steve Paras

Stavros (Steve) Paraskevopoulos

September 1, 1946-April 1, 2024

It is with sadness and heavy hearts, that the family of Stavros (Steve) Paraskevopoulos announce his passing at the Brandon Regional Health Centre on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Stavros was born on September 1, 1946, in the city of Kalamata in the southern Peloponnese region of Greece.  During his childhood years in Greece, Stavros along with his siblings, grew up in the service industry where he witnessed first-hand the hard work and determination of his parents who ran their own coffee-shop (Kafenion O Kanaris, named after his father) in Kalamata.

After serving in the Greek military and working for a time in the merchant marine industry, Stavros emigrated to Canada in 1969 to rejoin his older brother Bobby and several of his other relatives in Saskatoon in search of a better life and economic prosperity. During his first few years in Canada, Stavros worked in several well-known Greek-owned establishments in Saskatoon. In 1971, him and his brother, set out for Brandon, Manitoba where they purchased and operated the Brandon Esso Restaurant located along the Trans-Canada Highway.  In the years that followed, Stavros and Bob (and their families) would operate many popular and successful restaurants in and around Brandon including several Trifon’s Pizza franchises and the famous Astoria Pizza. After Stavros and Barb retired from the restaurant industry in 2008, they spent many of their retirement years travelling to their winter home in Arizona.

Stavros was a very dynamic person who had a witty sense of humour, an infectious laugh and an inviting nature that drew others to him. The spirited manner which Stavros told (and retold) his repertoire of funny stories made everyone laugh (even if they had heard them more than once).  Stavros also had a passion for the finer things in life and could often be seen driving the latest model cars, was always impeccably dressed, and likely had one of the largest collection of men’s shoes in all of Manitoba.

 Stavros held great affection for his adopted hometown of Brandon and was also passionate about the restaurant industry and was immensely proud of the thousands of satisfied customers that he served over the decades as a restaurateur.  Throughout his life him and Barb thoroughly enjoyed the many trips they undertook throughout Canada, the United States and Europe.   Over the years, Stavros enjoyed trips back to his hometown of Kalamata where he would delight in visits with his sister Militsa and her husband George and other family and friends as well to Saskatoon and Regina where he enjoyed visits with his extended family and old acquaintances.

Stavros had a deep and abiding love of his Greek heritage and culture but above all else he was deeply devoted and committed to his family and was a constant and steady presence in their lives.

Left to mourn his passing are his loving wife of 49 years, Barb, his children; Robb (Kanaris) and his wife Rachel, his daughter Toula (Dimitra) and her husband Brad and their children Vance, Hunter and Jax, his son Man (Dimitrios) and his wife Cheryl, his sister Militsa and her husband George, many relatives in-law and countless other cousins, nieces and nephews throughout Canada and Greece.  Stavros was predeceased by his parents Kanaris and Dimitra as well as by his older brother Charalambos (Bobby) Paraskevopoulos and his wife Effie. A celebration of Stavros’ life will take place on Friday, April 12, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. at the Monterey Estates Recreation Hall, 400 Mockingbird Drive.  In lieu of flowers, the family politely requests charitable donations be directed to a charity of the donor’s choice in Stavros’s name.