GROSSE POINTE FARMS, MI – Dr. Harry N. Kotsis was born in Detroit, MI on June 23, 1937. He is the son of Nicolaos and Vasiliki Kotsis, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Greece (Epirus) early last century. His family owned the Athens Grocery in Greektown, Detroit, and he worked there through college with his father, his older brother (the late) George, and his younger brother (the late) Tom. He also has a sister Johanna Soulimiotis of Thousand Oaks, CA, and a sister Chrysoula (who died when she was a toddler).

Dr. Kotsis graduated from Detroit’s Denby High School in 1955 and was accepted to the University of Michigan on a Regent’s Scholarship that same year. He graduated in 1959 with a BA in History and a Minor in Anthropology with highest honors.

In 1959, Dr. Kotsis was accepted into the Wayne State Medical School in Detroit and graduated in 1963. He was then drafted by the U.S. Army and served as a Captain in the Medical Corps. From 1964-1965 he was stationed in South Korea on the DMZ. There he helped establish an orphanage (Sae Sak Orphanage, located at Woon Chun-ri Imjim-myon) and was commended by the Korean government (Office of Paju-Gun Association, Korean National Council for Social Welfare Federation) and by the U.S. Army for his work. From 1965-1966 he was stationed at Arlington, VA where he served in the Honor Guard. He was a military physician for President Lyndon B. Johnson that same year. Also, he volunteered his services at Fort Knox, KY, Ireland Army Hospital to treat a meningitis epidemic (he was the only physician who volunteered to go).

After his honorable discharge (August 5, 1966), Dr. Kotsis resumed his residency in Urology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Kotsis held a private practice in Urology and worked primarily through Bon Secours Hospital in Grosse Pointe, MI, were he served as both the President of the Medical Staff (Chief of Staff) from 1984-1986 and as Chairman of the Board of Directors (1994-1996 – the first physician in the hospital to hold that position – originally appointed to the Board by the Sisters of Bon Secours). Dr. Kotsis served as Chief of Surgery as well as Secretary of Surgery. He also has served on the Medical Executive Committee, Medical Staff Bylaw Review, Long Range Planning Committee of the Medical Staff, and served as chair of the Quality Assurance Committee. He was a charter member of both the Human Values Committee (addresses ethical issues of health care) and the Medical Manpower Development Committee (insures hospital medical staffing needs are met). Before Bon Secours was acquired by Beaumont, Dr. Kotsis was also a member of La Socie?te? de Bon Secours, the philanthropic organization of Bon Secours of Michigan Health Organization, and of the Friends of Bon Secours, which raised funds for Bon Secours Hospital. While working at Bon Secours, Dr. Kotsis also participated in the local high schools’ “Medical Biology Program” (mentoring students interested in biology and the medical profession) and through his close association with the Sisters of Bon Secours, taught human reproductive education at two local high schools (Regina and Notre Dame). He also was on staff at St. John Hospital in Detroit and Cottage Hospital in Grosse Pointe. Further, Dr. Kotsis helped many patients from Greece and other countries come to the U.S. to receive medical care and surgery.

The families of Dr. Kotsis and of Katherine Williams knew each other for years, having grown up in the Detroit Greek community and having attended the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral downtown. After returning home from the U.S. Army, Dr. Kotsis and Katherine began their formal relationship and married in the spring of 1973. Together, they raised four children, Fr. Nicolaos, Philip, Dr. Damian, and Dr. Andrew, and taught them the values and skills necessary to establish careers, honor their wives, raise children of their own, make homes, support the Greek Orthodox Church, and to be charitable especially to those in need. For 45 loving years, Dr. Harry and Katherine devoted themselves to each other, their family, and their Church; never leaving each other’s side.

In 1977, Dr. Kotsis and his family joined the St. John Greek Orthodox Church (then in Fraser, Michigan). In 1978, he joined the parish council and served as its president from 1982-1984 and from 1985-1990 and was one of the parishioners who helped Fr. Nicholas Kyritses lead the construction effort for the present church. Dr. Kotsis and nine other stewards pooled their resources, purchased the land on which the church now stands, and donated it for the building process.

Dr. Kotsis continued to serve on the council until 2002. In October, 2005, he was selected by Fr. Nicholas Kyritses to be one of the “godparents” of the newly consecrated church of St. John the Baptist.

Dr. Kotsis was an active supporter of many philanthropic and professional organizations. With the recommendations of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, he was made an Archon “Hypnomnematografos” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2006. In 2007, Dr. Kotsis was asked by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas to serve on the Metropolis of Detroit Council, serving from 2013-2018 on the Metropolitan Council as the Vice-Chair. He also served on the Archdiocesan Council.

In his spare time, Dr. Kotsis enjoyed family vacations, fishing with his sons and grandchildren, gardening, and stamp collecting. He was also an avid reader and had a phenomenal retention of knowledge. With a strong appreciation for the arts, he was especially fond of classical music. More than anything, Dr. Kotsis loved spending time with his family; continuously inspiring them and imparting to them his wisdom and his love for life.

He was the beloved husband of Katherine and dear father of Fr. Nicolaos Kotsis (Sandra), Philip Kotsis (Ann), Dr. Damian Kotsis (Anastasia), Dr. Andrew Kotsis (Irene). Dr. Kotsis was the loving grandfather of Harry, Vasiliki, George, Katherine, Thomas, Luke, Katerina, Jon, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexander. Brother of Johanna Soulimiotis (the late Stanley) and the late Chrysoula, George (Doris) and Thomas.

Visitation Wednesday 2-8 pm with Trisagion 7 pm at the A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Avenue at Vernier Road, Grosse Pointe Woods.

In state Thursday 9 am until time of service 10 am at St. John Greek Orthodox Church, 11455 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights 48312. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Greek Orthodox Church or St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 3109 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.