John Margaris

Dr. John Margaris, of Great Falls, passed away in his sleep on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

A funeral service will be held at First Presbyterian Church at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 2014. Burial will follow the service at Highland Cemetery. Visitation will be held at O'Connor Funeral Home on Thursday, April 3, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.and Friday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The family will greet friends on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Dr. John was born in Great Falls on Oct. 16, 1924, to Louis and Lola Margaris, immigrants from Greece.

He graduated from Great Falls High School in 1942. During his first year of college, he was drafted into the United States Army and served in General Patton's Third Army. After he was honorably discharged from the Army at the end of World War II, he went to work for the Montana Trading Post, working in various stores in Montana and Alaska. He was also an adventurer, traveling to Europe, the Middle East and India after the war.

With the encouragement of his friend, Carl Kimble, he decided to go to college at the College of Great Falls. He worked as a laboratory technician for Dr. McLaughlin and, eventually, decided to become a physician. He attended the University of Utah School of Medicine from 1953-1957, and then served an internship in Ogden, Utah, for one year, before entering into general private practice in Big Sandy, Mont., in 1958.

He married the love of his life, Rosemary Kalafat, on Oct. 24, 1959. They moved to Fort Benton in 1962, where he had a solo practice until moving back to Great Falls in August 1969, where he proudly opened his new medical office in Riverview.

For the next 26 years, he and Rosemary faithfully cared for thousands of patients. He was a strong advocate for the freedom of private practice, throughout his career, and was famous for his many speeches warning of the looming threat of government interference with the practice of medicine at the monthly medical staff meetings at Columbus and Montana Deaconess hospitals, as many of the physicians who know him would attest. He was truly a voice of one crying in the wilderness. He served as president of the Medical Staff at Columbus Hospital from 1977-1978.

In September 1995, he closed his practice in Riverview and then worked part-time at the Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton, and at the Native American Center Medical Clinic in Great Falls for several more years before retiring completely.

He was a man of principle and high moral standards and was never afraid to offer his opinion on the way things should be. In addition, he was very devout in his Christian faith and was always thankful that God provided and cared for him throughout his life.

John is survived by his four sons, Dr. Melchisedek (Barbara), Emmanuel (Pam), Mark, and Christopher; brothers James (Dee) of Great Falls and Bill (Des) of Kalispell; grandsons, Adam and Zach; granddaughters, Helen and Christine; and multiple nieces and a nephew.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother; sister, Ann Yarmey; wife, Rosemary; and uncle, George Christ.

Memorials are suggested to the Great Falls Rescue Mission.

Condolences may be left online at http://www.oconnorfuneralhome.com.