Dates
John Pete (Johnny, John P.) Kouvelis, 94, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2025, at the Crest Baptist Retirement Center.
Funeral Information:
• Viewing will be Friday January 24, 2025, family will be present from 2pm-4pm at Harper Funeral Home, 2606 Southland Blvd., San Angelo, TX 76904.
• Trisagion service 6 p.m. Friday January 24, 2025, at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, 801 Montecito Drive, San Angelo, TX, 76903
• Funeral service – 10 a.m. Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church with burial to follow at Fairmount Cemetery, and lunch back at the church. Officiants: Rev. Fathers Nektarios Morrow and John Haby, Pall bearers: Chris Kouvelis Jr., Chris Kouvelis III, Mark Lange, Gus Romike, Michael Woodruff, and Pete Zotos.
In lieu of flowers:
The family requests donations be made to any or all of the following:
• Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, 801 Montecito Drive, San Angelo, TX, 76903
• Keller-Kouvelis Key Club Scholarship fund – c/o The San Angelo Downtown Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 148, San Angelo, TX 76902
• The Crest Baptist Retirement Center, 403 East 8th Street, San Angelo, TX 76903
Early life: Johnny was born on November 8, 1930, in San Angelo, TX to Pete Kouvelis and Venetia (Kalaitzes) Kouvelis. Although he grew up as the middle child with his older brother Chris Pete, and younger sister Constance (Connie) he was affectionately known as the “baby” of the family all his life. He grew up in San Angelo’s active Greek community, attending Santa Rita elementary, and San Angelo High School. After high school he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hardin-Simmons University, in Abilene, TX.
Korean War and C&J: As Johnny finished college, the Korean War began. Johnny and his brother Chris enlisted in the Army. He shipped out before the Hardin-Simmons graduation ceremony, but his sister Connie was allowed to accept his diploma in his place.
Johnny fought on the front lines in the Korean War and was stationed in Japan after the war ended. At the end of his enlistment, he returned to San Angelo, where he and his brother Chris started their grocery career. Initially they helped their uncle, George Athanas, run George’s Drive-In Grocery, and Market on Chadbourne Street. Later, Chris and Johnny bought and operated C&J Drive in Grocery, and C&J Coin Laundromat on East Avenue L. These businesses were fixtures in San Angelo for 40 years.
Interests: When he wasn’t wearing his trademark apron behind the counter at C&J Grocery, Johnny liked to buy and sell properties. He was also a faithful member of the Assumption of Mary Orthodox Church, and a proud, 55-year member of the San Angelo Kiwanis Club. He never met a sport he didn’t like and was a staunch Dallas Cowboy fan. After retiring from C&J in 1994, Johnny kept busy working part time at Mitchell Automotive, watching sports, and continuing to buy and sell properties.
Family: Johnny was married to Muriel Betsill Woodruff (his beloved Merle May) for 35 years from 1965 until her death in January 2000. Johnny and Merle May were partners in all respects. She was a business owner in her own right when they met, and C&J benefitted significantly from her expertise. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother-in-law Alex Zotos, his grandniece, Venetia Haby, his brother Chris, his son-in-law Carl Lange, and his daughter Suzanne (Woodruff) Gray.
He is survived by his sister Connie (Kouvelis) Zotos, three of his four children, Deanna (Woodruff) Lange, William (Bill) Woodruff and his wife Janea and Joni (Kouvelis) White, her husband, Richard, his grandchildren Vicki (Gray) Bingham, Kristin (Gray) Henry and husband Jason, Alison Lange and husband Marshall Nau, Mark Lange, Brian Woodruff, Michael Woodruff, and Katherine White, his great grandchildren Stormie and Ashlie Bingham, Grayson and Ava Henry, and Gus, Georgia, and Lilah Romike. His sister-in-law, Becka Kouvelis. He is also survived by nieces and nephews: Peter Kouvelis and his wife Hilda, Kandice (Kouvelis) Haby, and her husband Hayden Griffin Jr., Chris Kouvelis Jr., Melissa (Kouvelis) Athens and her husband Paul, Kimberly (Kouvelis) LaScala and her husband Edward, John Zotos and his wife Yasmin, Pete Zotos and his wife Karen, and his grand and great-grandnieces and nephews, Amanda (Kouvelis) Kaim, her husband Gabriel, and their children James, Jordan, and Jonathan, Chris Kouvelis III, Haden Griffin Haby III, his wife Georgea, and their children Hayden IV, Eleni, Christopher, and Penelope, Paul Athens Jr., Chris Athens, his wife Brenna, and their children Caroline, Ellie, and Easton, Samantha (Athens) Amador, her husband Shaun, and their children Jacob and Emma, Edward LaScala III, his wife Tinsley, their son Edward IV, and Nicholas, Luke, and Penelope LaScala, Maxwell Pete Zotos, Annalyse Zotos and her husband Nathan Smith, and Alexa, Constantine, and Xavier Zotos.
Legacy: Johnny was a great friend to all and in turn was blessed with many long and close friendships. His family is especially grateful to his church family, his Station 618 buddies, his fellow Kiwanians, his best pal Charlie Haefer, and everyone who took time out of their busy lives to visit him regularly during his time at the Crest. We are also grateful beyond measure to the Crest staff, Dr. Carl Anderton and his office staff, and Gentiva Hospice. May God bless you all.