George G. Himonas

George G. Himonas – Everyone’s Papou

August 13, 1934 – November 18, 2025

George G. Himonas (the “Ghost”) was born to Constandinos Himonas and Athena (Konakis Himonas) Kontas over 91 years ago. He lost his father at age five and his step-father at ten. He helped support his mother and four brothers–by shining shoes and delivering newspapers, then by dropping out of school to take over the family sheep ranching business at age 14. Clever and incredibly hard-working, he expanded the family ranching business and occasionally tracked down a good Barboot game. He married his “honey bunny” Chrisoula Proestakis on November 25, 1962, and they welcomed their only child, Deno, two years later.

George was deeply religious, a loyal U of U sports fan, a princely tipper, and an absolutely devoted family man. He was incredibly proud of his son Deno, the best father-in-law to Lisa, and an adoring Papou to granddaughters Alexa and Kate—no person on earth watched Pinocchio and Alivin and the Chipmunks more than George. For someone who weathered many storms, he was incredibly kind, loving, and cheerful. Quiet until you put a VO or a deck of cards in the man’s hands, he had a plethora of stories to share about Shorty the mule, decades of herding sheep, and cattle drives. When he lost Chrissy in 2011, he embraced his time with Deno’s family to travel the world—for Alexa and Kate’s graduations, time with Lisa’s family in Minnesota and California, and global adventures to Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, France, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Costa Rica. In these later years, he also became known as Papou to everyone he met.

On November 18, 2025, George said “Love you, love you, God Bless you!” one last time to Deno and Lisa, Alexa (and Jon Piggott, Washington, DC) and Kate (and Aysh Read, Melbourne, Australia); brothers and siblings-in-law Nick and Joyce Kontas, Frank and Bo Anne Kontas, Vale Himonas, and Paraskeva and Kaliope Proestakis; dozens of nieces and nephews in the US, Canada, and Greece; numerous cousins; and too many friends to count. He is now reunited with his beloved wife, Chrissy; his father and mother; brothers Mike (Stacy) and Gust; and many others.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, 5335 S. Highland Drive. Friends may visit one hour prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. A Makaria (celebration of life) will be held at Manoli’s, 402 E 900 S, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

For those unable to attend the service in person, the family invites you to join via Zoom. Please click on the Watch Services button above.

Thanks to the skilled, caring doctors, nurses, and aides at the University of Utah Hospital and Hospice Center who provided critical and compassionate care in George’s final days. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (61 S 200 E, Price, UT 84501), the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake (279 S 300 W, SLC, UT 84101), or a charity of your choice. Consider liberally tipping an attentive server in Papou’s memory.

May His Memory Be Eternal.