Stella Psarakis Obituary - Burlington, Ontario | Guelph Line Smith's Funeral Home
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Obituary for Stella Psarakis

Stella  Psarakis
Dr. Stella Psarakis
It is with great sadness that we regret to announce the passing of Dr. Stella Psarakis, M.D.
Dr. Psarakis passed away suddenly, surrounded by her loving family, at Joseph Brant Hospital on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at the age of 60. Stella was the beloved wife of C. Gus Kandilas. A very dear and loving sister to Helen and George Vastis and Katina and Spiros Paleologos. Loving godmother and aunt to Dr. Vasilia Vastis, loving aunt to Peter-George Vastis, Olivia Paleologos and Celia Paleologos. Stella was very proud of all of her nieces and nephew and a great inspiration to them in that she contended they could reach for the stars and become whatever they desired with resolve and hard work. Predeceased by her loving and very proud parents Athanasios (2006) and Vasilia (2008) Psarakis and by her beloved godparents and aunt and uncle Penelope (2017) and Spyros Arkas (2010). She will be sadly missed by her brother-in-law Theoharris (Harry) and his wife Angie Kandilas and nieces Melanie and Maria. Stella was a dear niece to her aunt Despina Budis and her late husband Emmanuel (2002) and a beloved cousin to Peter and Angie Budis and their children Despina and Jimmy, and John Budis and his late wife Sophie (2009) and their children, Emmanuel and Maria, and the late Demetrios Budis (1997), all of New York. She was also a dear niece to her uncle Marcos Psarakis and his wife Polixeni, her late uncle Sarantis Psarakis (2017) and his wife Efthimia, uncle Angelo Psarakis and his wife Evdokia, all of Hamilton, and her aunt Anna Vafiadis and her late husband Kostas (2018) of Lemnos, Greece.
Stella will be sadly missed by her many beloved cousins both here and abroad; Stella (Nick), Mathew (Irene), Bobby (Rose), Maria (Angelo), Stella, Athanasia, Anna (Chris), Stella (Nick), Mathew, John (Julie), Dimitris, Stelios, Erika and their families. Stella leaves behind many family members, godchildren and friends here, in Greece, Australia, and the U.S.A.
Dr. Psarakis was born in Hamilton, Ontario on June 15, 1958. She entered McMaster University in 1976 where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Psychology. She then went on to Medical School at the University of Toronto. In 1986, she completed her Medical degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters Degree in Neurosciences from McMaster. During her Rotating Internship at the University of Toronto, Stella found her passion in Women’s Health and the next year returned to McMaster to complete a fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1992, she became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a fellow of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada and the following year was admitted to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In 1992, she joined the staff at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington. Dr. Psarakis was the first woman surgeon at JBMH and the first woman Gynecologist in the department. She had been a member of the Medical Advisory Committee and the Board of Governors at Joseph Brant and in 2002 she served as President of the Medical Staff. She was a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University. Until recently she had also been the Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology
at Joseph Brant. Last week, The Hamilton Academy of Medicine recognized Stella’s twenty- five years of membership in good standing.
While in private practice in Burlington, Stella was also involved in the teaching of Ob/Gyn residents, family practice residents, medical students and midwifery students. She sat on several committees and was a member of numerous associations and societies including the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, the American College, the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and the American Association of Gynecologist Laparoscopists.
Throughout the years, Dr. Psarakis had not forgotten her Greek heritage. She had been involved in numerous organizations including the Daughters of Penelope and the Greek Ladies Philoptochos Society. She had been on the Board of Directors at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Hamilton, serving as its first woman president in 2001.
The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, colleagues, friends and staff she entrusted her care in (just to name a few); Dr. Prodger, Dr. Rogers, Dr. Lysecki, Dr. Correia, Dr. Berlingieri, Dr. Wahl, Dr. Kancherla, Dr. Comay, Dr. Gupta, Dr. Phillips, Dr. Foster, Peter Triantafilou R.T., and the entire OB/GYN Department at Joseph Brant Hospital, Burlington. A sincere thank you to her office staff, Marg Grayson, Theresa Johnston, Theresa Vaillancourt. Dr. Papaioannou at McMaster University. Dr. Marcaccio and Dr. Zbuk at the Juravinski Cancer Center, Hamilton. A very special thank you to Dr. Nadine McCleary, Kathleen Boyle (P.A.), Silvia, Dina, Deb and Rich and all the staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
The world is a lesser place without Stella in it. Her love for her family was only matched by the passion and devotion to her profession. Stella always put the needs of others ahead of her own and committed many lifetimes worth of care and compassion to her patients. Words like, giving, empathetic, gentle supportive, charitable and humane only begin to describe the heart and soul of a consummate medical professional and loving wife, sister and aunt. Stella had a wonderful sense of humour and lived a full life; she loved to travel, shop, needlepoint, meet up with her book club and most of all, spend time with her family and friends. She was loved by all who crossed paths with her and she will be missed dearly. Our prayers are with Stella who is now at peace and will be forever in our hearts.
Family and friends will be received at Visitation at SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stop light north of QEW), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333) on Sunday from 3 - 5 and 7 - 9 p.m. Vigil prayers will be said at the funeral home on Sunday at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (22 Head Street, Hamilton) on Monday, June 25, 2018 at 11a.m. Interment Woodland Cemetery. For those who wish, memorial donations to Joseph Brant Hospital, Burlington, the Canadian Cancer Society or St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Hamilton, would be sincerely appreciated by the family.

The family and friends of Dr. Stella Psarakis would like to honour and recognize her passion and commitment toward the babies and families of Joseph Brant Hospital by renaming the Labour and Delivery Unit in her memory.
Please donate now to make a donation to honour Dr. Psarakis in support of the Labour and Delivery Unit and all the families of babies born at Joseph Brant Hospital

https://jbhf.akaraisin.com/givetoday/Psarakis
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