KOPSAHILIS, V. Rev. Fr. Petros
            80, of Clearwater, fell asleep in the Lord, on October 15, 2018.  Born in Letohoro, Greece to Ioannis and Poulheria Kopsahilis. Finishing his studies at the Ecclesiastical School of St. Anastasia and serving in the Greek army, he immigrated to the United States in 1961 to attend Hellenic College and Holy Cross Graduated School of Theology.  Continuing his studies at Boston University with a Masters and Ph.D. in Religious Education.  He married Christine Pliakas in 1968, and was ordained a Greek Orthodox priest that same year.  Assigned to the parish in Casper, WY, tragedy would later take the 11-month-old daughter in a car accident and leave him paralyzed.  Battling the odds of walking, 17 surgeries were performed in Boston and he regained his mobility and walked.  He was appointed Admissions Director, Register and Assistant to the President at Hellenic College/Holy Cross.  Wanting to return to a parish, he served in Oklahoma City for 8 years and was instrumental in building a new church.   Because of family reasons, he was transferred to Portland, ME and, later, appointed Chancellor of the Atlanta Metropolis where he served for 14 years before retiring to Rhode Island, to be near HC/HC and family.  Since weather was inclement, the couple moved to Clearwater a year later to be near his wife’s sister, husband and nephews.  Fr. Petros was well respected and admired by all who interacted with him. A man of great faith, he never gave up, but fought the good fight.   He is survived by his wife of 50 years, the V. Rev. Fr. James and Vasiliki (Pliakas) Rousakis, nieces and nephews in the US and Greece and is proceeded by his parents and sisters, Vasiliki, Paraskevi, Constantina and Katerina of Greece.  A Trisagion will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpons Springs and on Thursday, October 25 ^th, Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m. and Funeral at 11:00 a.m. in the Cathedral, celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta and local clergy.     Interment will be at Curlew Hills Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Holy Trinity Building Fund of Clearwater, Hellenic College/Holy Cross or The Suncoast Hospice.  Funeral can be viewed on the St. Nicholas website at www.stnicholastarpon.org