John Vatsis
John Vatsis
John Vatsis is a renowned businessman. He owns an automobile dealership in Price, Utah.
He was found guilty of receiving money by false pretense. Both he and his wife Mary Vatsis appealed their convictions; the trial court granted their motion to dismiss the charges against them.
Early Life and Education
On April 27, 1957 in Petersburg, Virginia to Dorothy Roxanne McCune Sansing and James Earl Sansing, John was born. A proud LSU Tiger and fierce competitor, his passion lay in playing basketball.
He was married to Val and they had two daughters, Aubrey and Jenna. As a devoted father, he always supported his wife in her ministry endeavors.
He worked at Motorola for over thirty years and then moved on to Freescale Semiconductor as vice president, retiring in July 2011. When not working or playing video games, he enjoyed solving number puzzles and crosswords, spending time with his family, traveling the New England coast, and doing crosswords. Most importantly, though, he will be greatly missed by his classmates at Princeton who knew him as a great friend and classmate.
Professional Career
John Vatsis has been a part of Montreal’s theatre scene since its inception, his impressive list of credits including Strawberries in January, Every Brilliant Thing, Marion Bridge, The Drawer Boy and ‘Art’ to name a few. An enthusiastic supporter of the arts, John has been part of Hudson Village Theatre since 2003 – its community of actors becoming his second home. Now acting department chair, John is delighted to teach young actors their craft while cherishing fond memories playing under the tent; he can’t wait for them to showcase their abilities on our stage!
Achievements and Honors
As a graduate student at St. John’s, he discovered the world’s first adolescent psychiatry clinic which he quickly transformed into a full-fledged center for treating child and adolescent disorders. He served as clinical associate professor of psychiatry for several years while being an adoring dad to many young children. A philanthropist by nature, he donated much of his family fortunes to charitable causes; creating the Kenneth L. Birchby and John D. Birchby Scholarship Fund as an homage to his alma mater which helps aspiring law students cover some tuition costs. A conscientist by nature, he knows his whisky from whisky as well as being one of the friendliest jokesters around.
Personal Life
John Vatsis’ personal life was filled with profound love for his wife and children. As a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who loved his grandchildren with all his heart, John lived out this mission in life with passion and dedication.
He is the loving husband to Mary (born Dragatis). They have two daughters: Joanna Catherine Vatsis of Dallas, TX and Sandra Katheri Taylor of Forney, TX; as well as numerous nieces and nephews throughout Texas, Utah, Wyoming.
He is the sole survivor of a car accident that killed three Ottawa-area youths in 1991, and says he was severely depressed afterward. But he eventually turned his life around and is now living life to its fullest. Now, he wants to share his experience with young people, teaching them about life’s fragility and value of family ties.