PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. - Fr. George Constantine Massouras, the first priest to be ordained by newly arrived Archbishop Iakovos in 1959, died March 25. He was 83 and served as a priest 46 years until his retirement in 2006.

Born Dec. 7, 1933, in Ellensburg, Wash., he attended elementary school in Spokane, Wash., before his parents moved to New York where he completed George Washington High School. He enrolled at Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, receiving a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1959. He married Despina Bisbickos of Boston and was ordained a deacon at Holy Trinity Church in Norwich, Conn., Dec. 6, 1959, and to the priesthood by Archbishop Iakovos at St. Spyridon Cathedral in Worcester, Mass., on Dec. 13. He was assigned to St. George Church in Pittsfield, Mass., where he served untill Oct. 30, 1963. He next served St. Andrew Church in South Bend, Ind., until Aug. 31, 1969, where he earned a Masters of Theology at the University of Notre Dame; St. John Church in Anaheim, Calif., until Aug. 31, 1979, St. Nicholas Church in Oak Lawn, Ill., and as proistamenos of Assumption Cathedral in Chicago for 24 years, where he was elevated to the rank of protopresbyter, until his retirement in 2006.

In addition to his presvytera, he is survived by four sons: Athanasios, Theodore, Andrew Peter and Christopher, their spouses and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services took place March 31 at Assumption Church with Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos officiating, assisted by Fr. Apostolos Georgiafentis and Fr. Tilemaos Alikakos.