11/13/2025
John Poulos
John Poulos was born on April 4, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of Stavros and Aikaterini Poulopoulou. He had two sisters, Christina and Vasiliki.
He moved back to Athens, Greece, in the early 1930s, where he grew up. He graduated from high school in 1946, then attended medical school in Athens, graduating in 1952. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the Greek Medical Corps from 1952–1955.
John came back to Chicago for an internship at Illinois Masonic Hospital in 1955, then worked at Carbondale Clinic as a general practitioner before returning to Chicago for his residency in pediatrics at Northwestern University. It was at Northwestern where he met his future wife, Eugenia (Genie) Kansas, who was a medical student. They were married on June 16, 1962, the day of her medical school graduation.
John and Genie moved to Carbondale in 1962. He worked as a pediatrician at Carbondale Clinic until his mid-50s, when he had to retire due to vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa. He was loved by his patients and their families. To this day, grown-up patients of his still in Carbondale remember Dr. John for his caring manner and his Greek terms of endearment for children. He was known for his kind, gentle manner. Genie continued to work at Carbondale Clinic as a dermatologist for nearly 30 years, walking from their home to the clinic nearby.
After retirement, he maintained a close group of friends from the clinic, going out for weekly coffee for many years. He was also close friends with the Karayiannis family, especially Tasis, who continued to visit on a regular basis over the years. John and Susan Karayiannis remained close family friends until their deaths.
With his failing eyesight, through the generosity of the Lions Club, he went to Minnesota for a Leader Dog. In the early 1990s, he was frequently seen walking miles around the Carbondale Clinic Circle with his German Shepherd, Max. He voraciously consumed books on tape from the Library for the Blind. He enjoyed swimming and would spend summer evenings doing laps in the pool. He continued to do yard work as well. Gumballs from the sweetgum trees were his nemesis.
John and Genie enjoyed many trips back to Greece to visit friends and family and maintained his mother’s apartment in Athens for many years before gifting the property to an organization that supported Greek Americans with vision loss. They also enjoyed their time in Gulf Shores, Alabama, making the long drive twice a year to stay at their condominium at the beach.
John was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Genie, in 2020. He is survived by his two daughters, Katherine of Carbondale, Illinois, and Margaret (spouse, Adam Ge**er) of Orlando, Florida. His grandchildren, Erica Deichen (spouse, John Deichen) and Anna Ge**er, live in Orlando, Florida, as well as his three great-grandchildren, Emma, Peter, and William Deichen. His nephew, Dimitri Goussios (Katerina), who attended Southern Illinois University, still lives in Athens, Greece.
John had dementia for many years, and through the grace of his wonderful caregivers, was able to live in his home. He passed away on November 12, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Foundation Fighting Blindness or Leader Dogs for the Blind. A private family graveside service will be held.
