Renn Zaphiropoulos Obituary (1925

Renn Zaphiropoulos, 87, passed away August 19, 2013, in Cedar City, Utah. He was born September 20, 1925, in Port Said, Egypt, to Leonides and Galatia Michalopoulos Zaphiropoulos. He immigrated to the United States in 1945 at age 19. He married Marie Alice Kaufmann Zaphiropoulos on October 14, 1970, in San Jose, CA. He had two daughters, Eve Brasfield of San Jose, CA, and Gale Grover of Garland, UT. Renn acquired a BS Degree in Engineering, a MS Degree in Engineering Physics and an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering Physics from Rose Hulman Institute. He has 29 patents. He has received three honorary doctorates and was the author of Entrepreneurial Wisdom. After founding Versatec, Renn built it into a success, and the company was later acquired by Xerox, from which Renn retired after serving as a Corporate Vice President. Not only a mentor and consultant to many young entrepreneurs, Renn also served on the Board of Directors for many high tech companies, as well as on the Board of Trustees of Southern Utah University and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He was a member of the Saint Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco and a life member of the English Shire Society. He was an adjunct professor at SUU and a member of the Old Main Society. Renns hobbies and interests included woodworking, painting, photography, music, piano, guitar, singing, sailing, and travel. Both a gourmet chef and food scout, he was a philosopher, enjoyed English luxury cars and was a true United States patriot. Renn is survived by his wife, Marie Zaphiropoulos, his two daughters, Eve and Gale, a sister, Melpomeni Cowell of Southern California, and a brother, Miltiades Zaphiropoulos of New York City. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Galatia and Leonides Zaphiropoulos, and a sister Lela Bouhagiar. Graveside services will be at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, at Cedar City Cemetery, 173 West 685 North, Cedar City, Utah. Interment will be at Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the SUU Zaphiropoulos Scholarship Fund. Online condolences can be sent .