John A. Kouniotis

John A Kouniotis, a lifelong resident of Florence, MA passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 8, 2023, surrounded by his seven loving children and his sister Mary. John was born on November 15, 1926, in Northampton, MA, the second of three children of Antonio and Lydia (Gingras) Kouniotis.
He attended local schools and on October 10, 1944, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. John proudly served his country as a Photographer’s Mate Third Class and was stationed in London, England during WWII. He was honorably discharged on March 4, 1947. After returning from the war, he was employed at the ProBrush in Florence, MA, where he met the love of his life, Anita C LaBarge. They married on August 27, 1949, and they spent more than 72 loving years together. He always told his children that meeting their mom was the best thing that ever happened to him.
John had many skills and worked many different jobs, including as a photographer at Arlene Studio, delivering eggs for a local farmer with his daughter Debbie or Donna by this side, delivered and installed office furniture for Broadway Office Supply, and as a Nursing Assistant at the VA Medical Center in Leeds, retiring after 30 years of dedicated care to our veterans. During his tenure at the VA hospital, he learned many skills that were useful to him in saving the lives of patients, as well as saving his great nephew from drowning at the family pool.
John was never idle. He enjoyed many activities with his family and friends. John and Anita stood out at weddings and parties for their wonderful dancing. He was an avid hunter until 2005, spent more than 25 years playing pitch at the American Legion pitch league in Hatfield. Pitch and cribbage were the family card games and all his children and grandchildren learned and played along with him; if you were on his Pitch team, God forbid if you threw the wrong card. He loved gardening, walking, his morning coffee clutch at McDonald’s and would bike there almost daily until the age of 93.
For many years he and Anita were familiar faces for breakfast at the Bluebonnet Dinner in Northampton. Even though he worked 2 or more jobs at a time during his adult life, he always had time for his family. At Christmas he would dress up as Santa for his children, take them to drive-in movies, outings to the beach, and other special events. He was always present for the important milestones in his children’s lives.
He was an avid sports enthusiast and a passionate Patriots and Red Sox fan. Inevitably he would miss the exit to Fenway Park, but eventually found his way and arrived on time. Getting lost on one of his family adventures was the norm. We heard many funny stories about him over the years and we will never forget the one about how his father “cried like a baby” when John and his family moved one street away from his parents’ home. John will always be remembered by his family and friends for his perpetual and infectious smile as well as a goodhearted friend to all.
On June 8th John joined his beloved wife, Anita, his parents Antonio and Lydia (Gingras) Kouniotis, his sister Kathleen LaFlam and her son John W LaFlam, his nephew and long-time hunting buddy, and grandson Eric Bouley. John is survived by his seven children, daughters Deborah Bouley and husband Lawrence, Donna Childs and husband William, Diane Mariz and husband Mark, Lisa Chatterton and husband John, sons John A, Mark A, and Christopher J Kouniotis, his sister Mary Yarrows and husband Leonard, 12 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Cooley Dickinson VNA/Hospice staff for their exceptional and compassionate care of John.
John’s family will receive relatives and friends at the visitation on Thursday, June 15th from 4-7PM at the Ahearn Funeral Home, 783 Bridge Road, Northampton, MA. Funeral services will be on Friday, June 16th with a Liturgy of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Hills Parish, 173 Main Street, Haydenville, MA 01039 (PLEASE MEET DIRECTLY AT CHURCH), with Rites of Committal and burial to follow in St. Mary of the Assumption Cemetery, Haydenville Rd., Leeds, MA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of John A Kouniotis can be sent to the Cooley Dickinson VNA/Hospice, PO Box 329, Northampton, MA 01601-0329.
Ahearn Funeral Home
(413)587-0044