Well-known Greek benefactor, shipowner Iakovos Tsounis, died on Saturday, aged 97.
His passing comes two months after being bestowed the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor by President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou for his “deeply patriotic” acts, which included bequeathing all his real estate assets to the armed forces.
Over time, Mr Tsounis had donated large sums to various public institutions, including hospitals and museums, and also churches. But his biggest contributions (totalling about €23 million over the course of his life) have been directed to the country’s armed forces, due to a fond connection he felt.
“A day of mourning for the armed forces…gratitude and respect for his contribution,” said Defense minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also addressed a special farewell message, noting that the country will be forever grateful to him.
Η Ελλάδα αποχαιρετά ένα άξιο τέκνο της. Και όλοι σκύβουμε με σεβασμό στη μνήμη του αληθινού ευπατρίδη Ιάκωβου Τσούνη. Λίγο πριν από τη δύση της ζωής του δώρισε την περιουσία του στις Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις. Η πατρίδα θα τον ευγνωμονεί για πάντα. Θερμά συλλυπητήρια στους οικείους του.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) April 10, 2021
Mr Tsounis was the youngest WWII veteran who served at the Albanian front at the age of 16 without the knowledge of his father.
He has cited that time as to account for the special connection he forged and maintained throughout his life with the armed forces.
Born in the city of Patra in 1924, he came from a poor family, the youngest of 13 siblings.
Following the second time he served in the army, in Greece’s civil war, Mr Tsounis obtained a license as an assistant customs broker paving paving his way into starting business at the port of Piraeus.
Magnate Aristotle Onassis was reportedly one of his clients, pivotal in convincing him to invest in a future in the shipping industry.
READ MORE: Greek shipping magnate John Angelicoussis passes aged 73
He started small in the ’60s with a single commercial vessel and within less than a decade had expanded his fleet by 12 more ships.
Mr Tsounis has received numerous accolades and medals by the Greek state for his generous donations.
“I started barefoot, I want to die barefoot,” he told Greek newspaper Kathimerini in a recent interview.
“For me, the patriot is the greatest man. Not the person who has wealth and honorary distinctions, but the one who genuinely loves his home country.”
