John Paul Kyriacopulos

John Paul Kyriacopulos, 74, of Manchester, beloved husband of Heather (Price) Kyriacopulos, passed away on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at Mass General in Boston, MA. John was born on April 6, 1950 in Gardner, MA and was the son of the late Paul John and Arania (Dantos) Kyriacopulos.

John grew up in Gardner, Massachusetts where his family owned the Main Street Pool Hall and was involved in the community. John is a 1972 alumnus of Springfield College and after his football playing days finished started his football coaching career as a graduate assistant coach and earned a Master of Education degree. John met the love of his life, wife Heather on a blind date in September of 1978 and they were married in a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding August 26, 1979. John loved family life above all and always prioritized his time for his wife and sons. 

John was a devout Orthodox Christian as a member of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Manchester, NH for 42 years. From 1983 to 1997 John and his family would spend summers at their waterfront cottage on Burns Pond in Whitefield, NH. There he would enjoy preparing for his upcoming football seasons on the porch looking at the lake. He enjoyed lake life, swimming, listening to radio baseball games lakeside and also driving his motorboat while his wife and boys water skied. John also had fond memories as a lifeguard at Forest Lake State Park where he worked in the summer months for many years in the 1980s and early 1990s. After growing up in an apartment building, he truly loved home ownership; owning a home in Manchester starting in 1980; selling it and building and selling two new houses in the 1980s and eventually moving into his forever home in 1993. John loved taking care of his beautiful yard, his lawn was always pristine. He loved family time in and around his inground swimming pool, which he had built in 1998. John enjoyed his parents visiting his homes and his father attending football games he coached. John had a close relationship with his father who was inspirational to him. Granddaughter Anastasia, now 8 years old, became the light in his life. He was known as Papou to her and they forged a special bond full of laughter and love. He enjoyed making her laugh and playing games with her as much as he could the last several years. 

Professionally, John was an accomplished educator and coach; a multiple winner of The Lowell Sun and Boston Globe Coach of the Year awards. He was an inductee to the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame and also the Tyngsborough High School Sports Hall of Fame. John always looked forward to coaching for two weeks at the Boston College Football Camp starting in 1992 until his football coaching retirement where he crossed paths with some of football’s greatest coaches and players. John’s career at Tyngsborough High School spanned from 1980-2009. He was the head football coach from 1980-2003 and head baseball coach from 1985-2005. John also enjoyed two seasons as the head coach of girls and boys track in 2007 and 2008. As an educator, he taught several different subjects and was a department head for many years. Later in his tenure, John founded and grew the highly acclaimed School to Work Internship Program, which was instrumental for Tyngsboro Public Schools gaining recognition as a school district. 

In addition to his wife, John is survived by his two sons: Alex Kyriacopulos and his wife Kelly, Paul Kyriacopulos and his fiancé Marissa; his granddaughter: Anastasia; and his three nieces: Emily, Erin and Elaina. John loved two German Shepherd dogs: Shadow and later Coco, who he will now spend time with in Heaven. 

 A Mass will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 10am at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1160 Bridge Street in Manchester. There is no burial.

To leave a message of condolence, please go to www.lambertfuneralhome.com.