Obituary of Apostolos Elias Marinakos

November 5, 1999 – January 25, 2022

On November 5, 1999, God gave us a most precious gift, Apostolos Elias Marinakos, a beautiful soul. On January 25, 2022, God called His angel home. In those 22 years, we were blessed to enjoy the beauty that was Apostoli – his wit, his kindness, his immense heart, his incredibly nimble mind, his sweet shy smile and twinkling eyes, his humble nature, his clever perspective on life, his infinite patience, his open honest spirit, his compassion, and his dynamic energy.

One only needed to spend a moment with Apostoli to see how truly incredible he was. As a young boy, always reconfiguring a toy to make it better, determining how every button on every device worked, making new things out of old scraps, and following Pappou Andrea around the backyard to repair and create. As he grew, his talent for innovation and design became readily apparent, his beautiful mind solving problems in elegant ways that others couldn’t conceive.

He was deeply committed to his family – for his Yiayia Vasilike, washing her car on demand and going on grocery runs - for his brothers, always ready with advice and support - and for his parents, no ask was too much, whether recalibrating the misfiring thermostat or fixing anything in the house, and always quick with hugs and “I love you.” His giving nature also extended to friends and colleagues, happy to tutor, help with difficult work or personal problems, find clever ways to retrofit or finance the next project and share his knowledge. Apostoli’s deep sense of integrity shone through in all his actions. And of course, the jokes, always joking and the teasing, keeping things light and fun.

Apostoli was a 4^th year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Waterloo where he was leaving his mark in varied projects and lab research. A graduate of Strathcona Tweedsmuir School, in addition to excelling in his studies he honed his prowess on the trumpet as a member of the band and continued his innovation, building a bass guitar from scratch. Apostoli was an avid tinkerer and a creative young man constantly working on new inventions hoping to one day change the world in some way.

Left to remember him and keep his spirit alive are his parents, Louie and Kathy; his brothers, Andreas and Stavros, his grandmother, Vasilike Vasilakos; his aunts, and uncles John (Sandra) Vasilakos, Nick (Kiley) Vasilakos, Kosta Vasilakos, Jimmy Marinakos, Helen Marinakos, Pia Marinakos; his cousins Alexandra, Brooklynn, Voula, Voula, and Alex, his love Veronica; his Godparents George and Tina Liaridis and family, and extended family members, too numerous to list. Waiting to welcome him into their loving care are his grandparents, Apostolos and Stavroula Marinakos, and Andreas Vasilakos.

A vast community of people have also been touched by Apostoli, from school friends, colleagues from his work terms at TC Energy, University of Calgary and Ekidna, and the Greek Community of Calgary family.

Admired and loved by all, Apostoli will be dearly missed. This world will be just a little less bright without him. We are all so blessed to have known this gentle soul, and will cherish the fact that we knew him, for the rest of our lives. Apostoli would want us to remember him always through our humour and laughter and the endless stories of him and memories he has left behind.

The family invites all who knew and loved Apostoli to celebrate his life with us.

Funeral Services will be held at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox (1 Tamarac Crescent SW, Calgary, AB) on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, starting at 1:00 pm. Graveside Service to follow at Queens Park Cemetery. Reception to follow the graveside service at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. 

All are welcome and the current REP guidelines will be followed. In addition to space in the church, there will also be ample space for those who wish to view the live stream in the adjacent hall. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

For those choosing to view Apostoli’s service via Live Stream, please use the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJw7c9iL03yVgQGjwE1Remg

In living memory of Apostoli, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.