+ Theophilus John Tsalaky, +
Biographical Info
Born December 13, 1926 to Greek immigrant parents in Salt Lake City, Utah the first of five children. He was always called “John,” except by his parents and siblings. Raised in Provo, Utah, John shined shoes to earn spending money. John left Provo his senior year of high school to join the Navy during World War II. He returned home after the war and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Biology. Then he entered the University of Washington, School of Dentistry, in September 1950. He married Magdaline (Molly) Barbas in 1952 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle. After graduation in 1954, they moved to Opportunity, WA in their $50. 1939 Buick, to begin a practice at the Valley Clinic. They were blessed with three daughters: Adair, born November 1956, Michelle, born November 1957, and Teresa, born July 1959. In 1960, John convinced his fellow dentist and brother-in-law, Jim Bourekis, to move back to Spokane from Ohio and go into partnership. As a Captain in the Army Reserves, John was called to active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was stationed at Fort Hood in Texas for a year. He was a member of the Spokane Valley Rotary Club serving in several capacities, including President. John practiced with Jim in the Valley until 1985, when he retired early due to a heart condition. However, he continued to remain active despite two open heart surgeries. He loved traveling, skiing, boating, attending Husky football games and volunteering. Most memorable were his two trips for Wycliff missionaries in the jungle of Peru. John was an outstanding and devoted family man with a deep faith. He was an active member at Holy Trinity in Spokane as President and Board Member for many years. Living in Coeur d’Alene after retiring, he was one of the founding members and a strong supporter of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Post Falls, Idaho. He was also a steward at Assumption Church in Seattle. John was a happy man with a constant smile, who worked hard his whole life and always appreciated the Lord’s gifts. He was rewarded with a sudden and fatal attack during Holy Week on April 25, 2002 at age 75. Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Molly; daughter Adair and husband Jerry Truman, Michelle Tsalaky, Teresa Tsalaky and granddaughter Melissa Cummings, as well as brothers George Tsalaky, Tony Tsalaky, Ernest Tsalaky and wife Joan, his sister Eva and husband Jerry Costacos, sister-in-law Katherine and her husband James Bourekis, brother-in-law Peter Barbas, as well as several nieces and nephews. His was a well-lived and well-loved life, which personified the meaning of his name Theophilus: friend of God!
O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who hast trampled down death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to Thy world, do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of Thy departed servants [names] in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which they have committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who lives yet does not sin, for Thou only art without sin, Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth.
For Thou are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Thy servants [names], O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen.
