John “Yanni” Giannos

It is with great sadness that the family of John Giannos, of Ixonia, Wisconsin, announces his death, which occurred on November 7, 2024.  He was 78 years old.

John, or “Yanni”, was born on March 26, 1946, in the small village of Milies, on the Greek island of Evia.  He was one of five children and the oldest son of Vassiliki and Nikolaos Giannos.  He grew up with his family in a modest one room house until the age of 14.  Because his family did not have the means to send him to school any further, he left his village to find work in Salamina, Greece, and following that time he served a year in the Greek military.  He then spent years traveling the world while working as part of the Greek Merchant Marine.  If there was a port, he’s been there!  He was lucky that one of those years on the ship was spent working alongside his little brother, and they shared many adventures together.

He met his wife of 52 years, Nancy (Klamert), while docked in Milwaukee in 1971.  They married in 1972, and had three children, Christina, Niki, and James.  They moved to Ixonia in 1985, where he lived until his time of death.

John worked as an assembly line worker at Briggs and Stratton for 21 years, and then at Waukesha Engine for 14 years.  He retired at age 65, which allowed him to enjoy many years of his life without a set schedule.

John could always be found outside, from sunrise to sunset.  He spent countless hours working in the vegetable garden, chopping wood, and tackling projects.  He especially loved tending to his roses.  John could always be counted on to help a friend or family member with a fix-it project or car problem, and he was known to drop anything to get there right away.

John achieved his version of the American dream by working hard and teaching himself.  He was a lifelong learner who especially enjoyed watching PBS and listening to public radio.  He was most proud of his family, and particularly his grandchildren.  He loved attending their sporting events, with many hours spent on the bleachers over the years.

He is survived by his wife Nancy, his children Christina Englebert (Darrin) and Niki Vernon (Dereck), his sister Triantifilia Roblee (Robert), his brother Haralambos Giannos (Rosina), his nephew Christos, his niece Stavroula, and his grandchildren Lily, Elsa, Lucy, Mason, and Alec.  He was preceded in death by his parents Vassiliki and Nikolaos, his sister Katina, his brother Kostantinos, and his son James.

A gathering to celebrate John’s life will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at Krause Funeral Home, 21600 West Capitol Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin. Visitation will begin at 4:00 PM with time set aside at 6:00 PM for friends and family to share their memories in honor of him.  Food and beverages will be served and all are welcome.

To send flowers to the family or place a tree in memory of John "Yanni" Giannos, please visit our Tribute Store.