DONIS, John Nicholas - Of Scarborough, Ontario passed away late Sunday night, February 10, 2019 at age 57.
He was the eldest son of Nickolaos and Helen Donis, and is survived by his two sons Nicholas and Michael Donis, sisters Mary, Diane and their families.
John immigrated to Canada at age two from Florina, Greece on the ship Anna Maria. He quickly adopted the Canadian culture in its entirety, from his love of the cold winters to his passion for hockey; while still embodying what it meant to be a proud Greek.
John cemented his name in the community with an everlasting memory of what it means to be a genuine person. As a leader in both business and in life, those around him could readily attest to this claim with a story of John’s influence in a serious or comedic memory of how he impacted their lives.
John was a teacher, a people person, a man who sought happiness in helping others to succeed first, always providing and putting his interests second.
A distinguished leader at IBM, his colleagues and associates saw him as a friend, mentor and partner before any title that either carried. His motto was “Family, Health then Business”, which helped him guide his team to success in a career spanning 30+ years.
John’s friendships, made and maintained over the years, could make up what would be described as a small community. There are few places one could go in the GTA without someone knowing the name “John Donis” or “Torch”, as many affectionately called him. He truly valued friendship as a major part of his life.
John, above all, was a family man and family meant everything to him. Family came before anything else. If family members were ill, John was there. If family reached out for help, John was there. If family needed to talk, John was there. His sons would grow up with a father who always did his absolute best to teach them how to succeed in life and how to navigate life’s trials and tribulations. John’s omnipresence supported many in life, and in his passing, we remember his teachings and attitude as attributes that we can cherish and celebrate forever.
Visitation was held at Highland Funeral Home, Scarborough on February 15th from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM. The service took place at St. John's Greek Orthodox Church, 1385 Warden Avenue, Toronto on February 16th.
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