Christos V. Aloupis passed away on January 17, 2024, at the age of 90, with his daughters by his side.

He was the second of four children born to the late Vasilios and Maria (Roumeliotis) Aloupis, on January 26, 1933, in Georgitsi, Greece. As a young man, he moved to the port city of Piraeus, where he honed his cooking and food service skills, and generally had a blast. After his military service, he worked on cruise ships, taking him to various ports of call all over the world. He immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and began working at Grade A Market as a butcher. Soon after, he met the love of his life, Helen Bakes, and they were married in 1969. They became parents to two girls, and enjoyed 50 precious years together until Helen’s passing in 2020.

For a time, Christos and his brothers had a store on East Main Street called Olympic Gift Shop, and later, he briefly ran his own grocery store, Fairlawn Food Center, with a partner. He eventually returned to Grade A until his retirement. He always took great pride in his work.

Christos loved cooking for his family and friends, especially on Christmas and Easter, barbecuing out on the deck, cheering on the Olympiakos soccer team, and relaxing with family in his beloved Georgitsi. One of his greatest joys was gardening – he could (and did) turn any patch of soil into a lush and colorful oasis, and he loved showing off and giving away the vegetables he so lovingly cultivated. For years he was a member of the Greek American Athletic Association (“the club”), where he served as manager and cook, and he could always be found in any of several doughnut establishments around town, enjoying coffee and conversation with friends. He had a kind and generous heart, a goofy sense of humor, and always strove to make people happy. He will be deeply, deeply missed.

He is survived by his daughters, Maria Aloupis and Debbie Aloupis, and son-in-law Carter Sherwood, of Stamford; brother Zacharias Aloupis (Magdalini) of Stamford, and sister Panagiota Bratsini of Greece; brothers-in-law George (Joan) Bakes of Bridgeport, Mike Bakis of Atlanta, GA, and sister-in-law Jayne Bakis of Little River, SC. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Helen Aloupis; brother Costas Aloupis; brothers-in-law Panagiotis Bratsinis, John Bakes, Tom Bakis, and Ted Bakis; and sisters-in-law Helen Aloupis and Rebecca Bakes. He leaves behind a huge family of nieces, nephews and cousins in the US, Greece, Canada and Germany.

A viewing will take place on Monday, January 22, from 4 pm to 7 pm at The Church of the Archangels, 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT 06905. A funeral service will be held at the church on Tuesday, January 23, at 11 am. Interment will follow at Fairfield Memorial Park in Stamford.

The family requests that memorial donations be made in Christos’ name to The Archangels Ladies Philoptochos.

Michael Stephen LaMonica, age 68, a cherished member of the Stamford community and respected chiropractor, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2024, in Stamford, CT with his family by his side. Born on April 19, 1955, in Bronx, NY, he was the second of four children to the late Bart and Dorothy (Herkomer) LaMonica.

Michael, a devoted Husband, Father, and Pop-Pop, is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Carmela LaMonica. His legacy continues through his children, Michael (Mylene) LaMonica, and Brian (Audra) LaMonica and his adored grandchildren, Louis- Étienne, Siena, and Ava. He is also remembered by his siblings Pat (Jack) George, Susan LaMonica, and John LaMonica, as well as by his cherished nieces and nephews.

A graduate of Manhattan College and New York Chiropractic College, Michael dedicated over 40 years to his profession, serving the Stamford community with compassion and expertise.

Michael was a lifelong New York Yankees fan having grown up in Pelham Bay, known for his “enthusiastic” discussions about the team’s pitching staff, trade options, and farm system. His love of sports extended into his community involvement, where he cherished coaching his sons’ baseball and basketball teams, imparting not just skills but life lessons to them and their friends.

Above all, Michael was a family man, always putting his responsibilities as a husband and father first. His devotion to his family was evident in every aspect of his life, creating a legacy of love that will be deeply missed.

Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance at Cognetta Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT, on Friday, January 19th, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, January 20th, at 10:30 am at St. Leo’s Parish, 24 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT. The interment will be held privately.

Michael’s life was a testament to the enduring power of love, family, and community. He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.

Joan B. Cholak, 82, of Stamford, CT, died peacefully with her family by her side on January 2, 2024.
Joan was a loving mother and grandmother and especially cherished spending time with her family. Her favorite pastime was watching her son’s and grandsons’ sporting events. She was a constant fixture at soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and football games. She often went to craft fairs, restaurants, and Broadway shows with her daughter.
Joan was the beloved mother of Karin Cholak and her husband Don Villeneuve, and grandmother of their sons Daniel and Justin Villeneuve, all of New Canaan, CT; and the beloved mother of David Cholak and his wife Carie Cholak, and their sons Darren and Jai Cholak, all of Bethel, CT. She was the ex-wife of Paul Cholak, of Boynton Beach, FL.
Born in Cincinnati, OH, on July 20, 1941, Joan had a wonderful childhood and fondly told stories about the many pranks and good times she had growing up there. She loved to dance and sing and played the piano. She was the beloved daughter of the late Alan and Vera Brickwood, and the sister of the late Nancy Brickwood, all of Cincinnati, OH; and the beloved sister of Diane Brown, of Wheaton, IL.
Joan was known for her friendly and upbeat personality and her ability to talk to anyone, and she made friends everywhere she went. She enjoyed line-dancing and traveling with her beloved best friend, the late Maureen O’Hara, of Stamford, CT, and in later years spending time with her friends from her Silver Sneakers class. She kept herself busy playing solitaire online, Wordle, reading, and talking to friends.
She retired from her job at the Dermatology Center of Stamford, CT, in 2016, and before that worked at Goldstein Krall Marketing Research.
She will be missed immensely. We will have a celebration of Joan’s life in early March. Details will be shared with her friends and family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Joan’s honor to either the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County (461 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906) or to the Ferguson Library Foundation.

Virginia M. Geils passed away on Dec. 28, 2023, at Stamford Hospital with family by her side. She was 96. Born in Albany, NY, she graduated from Albany Academy for Girls and also Mount Holyoke College. She married John Geils, the love of her life. Her joy was giving to others. At 50 she earned a master’s degree in social work and worked for the Town of Greenwich managing senior living and volunteering programs. Ginny is survived by her sons, John and wife Pat, Bill, and Geoff. A memorial celebration of her life will be held in the future at South Britain Congregational Church and at Silver Bay, NY.