Jeremias "Jerry" E. Gemellas

Jeremias Emanuel Gemellas, born on the 11th of December, 1930, beloved husband of Garifalia “Litsa” Gemellas (née Georgopoulos), passed away peacefully of natural causes at his home in Verona, PA on the 18th of July, 2022 at the age of 91. He was born in Arethousa, Ikaria, Greece and was later raised in Chrysostomos, Ikaria, Greece, with 4 siblings. His father passed away when he was 9 years old and he had left school early to work various jobs, helping provide for the rest of the family during World War II, as many families endured great hardship and tragedy during that time. He had served in the Greek military and after he discharged, he started working on fishing boats, and eventually on cargo and passenger ships for over 11 years, traveling around the world. He emigrated to the Pittsburgh area in 1966 to pursue the American Dream.  He met and later married Litsa in 1970 and had two sons with her.  He began working at Edgewater Steel, but switched to becoming an industrial painter. He started at Avalotis Corporation when it was founded as a new company and stayed till his retirement in 1990, working for and among many close friends for decades as a proud member of IUPAT. He was a very active member in the Greek Orthodox Church and with the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America, serving as a past Pittsburgh Chapter President and Vice President. An industrious handyman, he loved to work on projects around the house, tending his gardens, making homemade wine, and playing Greek tunes on his bouzouki. He enjoyed traveling back to Greece in his summers and had deep love for his family, friends, and community in Verona and in Ikaria.  Boisterous, outspoken, and larger than life, he had developed so many deep friendships with so many people because of his compassion and love for others. He was always the friend who would help and expect zero in return. He is survived by his loving wife Litsa, sons John and Soterios, two other children Emanuel and Evangelia from his previous marriage, and two grandchildren, Vangelis (son of Evangelia) and Andreas (son of Emanuel), sister Vasilia (Emanuel Smyrnakis), brother-in-law Andreas Georgopoulos and sister-in-law Panayiota Kotsovolos, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters Maria (Kouvaris), Stella (Orkoulas), and Elpida (Glaros). May his memory be eternal and may his soul be in a place of rest and repose.  Friends and family will be received on Saturday, July 23, 2022, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., at English Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 378 Maryland Ave., Oakmont, PA 15139. A Funeral Service will follow visitation at 1:00 p.m., in Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church, 12 Washington Ave., Oakmont, PA 15139. Interment will follow service in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Penn Hills.

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