John Mantzoufas

John Mantzoufas passed peacefully in his sleep on March 5, 2025 in the comfort of his home and care of his loving wife of 56 years.

John was born on January 8, 1941 in Eptahori, Greece. As a child, he learned the lesson of hard work and the craft that served him and his family throughout the years. Dropping out of school in the sixth grade, he helped build the house where he and his mother lived. He later joined his brother and cousin in Germany to build cabinetry and explore the country on his motorcycle.

A return to Greece to see his mother coincided with another family’s visit. John remembered a younger Aglaia Tzimopoulos in a velvet collared coat and leather school bag. Their courtship quick, they married on August 18, 1968 in the village where they both grew up. He joined her in the United States on February 1, 1969 and settled in Manchester, New Hampshire. They raised their two daughters, Olga and Soultana, taking trips to the beach, camping, and spending time with relatives. On Orthodox Easter, you would always find a reverent party on Bridge Street with plenty of lamb, Metaxa, red eggs, and tsipouro.

Pappou’s pride and joy were his grandchildren Alexa, Luke, Karenna (Olga and Brenden Beckstein) and Jonathan (Soultana Mantzoufas). Celebrating birthdays and holidays, attending games and events, or just being near their energy and smiling faces brought him great pleasure and happiness.

His vocation was carpentry, a profession where he helped fulfill dreams, creating the spaces where people lived and loved and making the times with family and friends more comfortable and enjoyable. “I take care of ‘em,” he would say and he’d do just that, working countless hours to make things better for others. If you enjoyed time at one of the local (and not so local) Greek restaurants, he most likely had a hand in ensuring the structure fit the form.

John loved spending time with his family and friends, laughing, joking, and being together… memories that will remain in their hearts forever.

In addition to his beloved wife, daughters, grandchildren, son-in-law and sister, he’s survived by many friends and family and is predeceased by many others. They all brought joy to each other’s lives.

SERVICES: A calling hour will be held on Monday, March 10, 2025, from 9 – 10 a.m. at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 111 Island Pond Road, in Manchester, NH. A funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. at the church. Committal prayers and interment will be held at Pine Grove Cemetery in Manchester, NH.

In lieu of flowers, it has been suggested that those who wish may make memorial contributions to Alzheimer's Association https://www.alz.org/ or to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church https://www.assumptionnh.org/donations in memory of John.

Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium assisted the family with arrangements. To view an online memorial, leave a message of condolence, or for more information please go to https://phaneuf.net/