Paul J. Stergios

Paul J. Stergios, of Canton, OH passed away on August 21, 2021 after a life well lived. Paul is survived by his wife, of 62 years, Milesta (Miric) Stergios; his brother, J. Fred Stergios, his daughter-in-law, Vanessa (Baxter) Stergios and grandchildren, Alexandra Stergios and Kristos Stergios; as well as a large extended family of in-laws, nieces, and nephews. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, George and Evangeline Stergios and his, son, Pericles “Perry” Stergios. Paul was born in Jefferson County, Ohio and graduated from Adena HS in 1949. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1953 with a B.S. in Business Administration and majored in accounting. In 1953, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1955. He worked as an internal auditor for the Mead Corporation from 1955 through 1958, before returning to The Ohio State University to attend the College of Law. He graduated in 1960, with his Degree of Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude and was granted membership into the Order of the Coif. Paul began his legal career in 1961 and came to Massillon, Ohio in 1963. Paul was recognized by the Ohio State Bar Association for practicing law for over 50 years. He was an active member of the American Bar Association, the National Health Lawyers Association, the Ohio Bar Association, and the Stark County Bar Association, where he served as president from 1979-1980. Paul originally came to Massillon when he joined Carl Z. Christoff in practice in 1963, and then later opened a law practice with J.R. Dick Merchant, John Kurtzman, and J. Fred Stergios; in time, his son, Perry Stergios, and Joel Fichter also joined the firm that became Stergios, Stergios and Kurtzman. In 2006, Paul joined the law firm Buckingham, Doolittle, and Burroughs. He continued to work for select clients well into his formal retirement. Paul was an Arbitrator and worked closely with Coordinating Committee Steel Companies and the United Steelworkers of America and served as Special Counsel to the Attorney General of Ohio. He was elected and served as Councilman-at-Large on Massillon City Council and was a member of Massillon City Planning Commission. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Doctors Hospital, Inc.; and was on the Community Resource Board of Blue Cross, a Trustee for Western Stark County Chapter of the American Red Cross and served on the Stark County Technical College Board of Trustees. Paul was a long-time member of the St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Massillon and belonged to the Order of the AHEPA and the American Legion. Always active in politics, he was an enthusiastic supporter of the Stark County Democratic Party. He was an avid golfer and belonged to both, Shady Hollow Country Club and Brookside Country Club, over the years. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 24, 2021from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Paquelet Funeral Home in Massillon with a Trisagion Service at 7:30pm. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 25, at 11:00 am at the funeral home with Father Kehayes from St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church presiding. A graveside service to follow at Olive Branch Cemetery in Harrisville, Ohio at approximately, 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers the family askes that donations be made to: St. George’s Orthodox Church in Massillon at 364 First St. SE, Massillon, Ohio 44646 or Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services at www.dixoncenter.org or to the charity of your choice.