Dr. Phoebus Koutras' Obituary
Dr. Phoebus Koutras – a beloved father, grandfather, husband, and surgeon – was sadly lost to us on June 25, 2023 at the age of 90.
Phoebus’s passing signals the departure of a select group of physicians who left Greece in the 1960’s seeking better education and opportunity. They made the bold decision to leave behind their insular upbringing and immigrate to the United States where the American medical system offered boot camp discipline, exactitude, and multilayered competency trials. After a gratifying career in cardiothoracic surgery and a happy marriage producing three highly successful children, Phoebus felt vindicated in having taken the risks he did in leaving his prior world behind.
Phoebus was raised under exceptionally difficult circumstances. Born in Greece on the eve of World War II, his early childhood was marked by the tyranny of the German occupation in which his brother did not survive infancy. Liberated by the British in 1945, he witnessed the immediate start of the Greek Civil War.
After graduating medical school at the University of Athens, he served as a doctor in the Greek Navy, where he ziplined between ships, creating memories he would recount for the rest of his life.
Phoebus and his wife Helen left Greece in 1960 to pursue his internship and specialty training in London, then immigrated to the United States in 1965, settling first in Ohio. In 1967, they relocated to Dallas in search of milder winters. That same year, Phoebus made another one of his proudest memories: As a junior resident, he was a member of the team that performed the first open heart surgery at Parkland Hospital. Even in his last days, he joyfully recounted this formative experience to rapt audiences.
In 1997, Phoebus retired from his long career in cardiothoracic surgery after having saved numerous lives. Two years later, he became a proud grandfather for the first time. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, three adult children, and five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, July 1, at 9:45 AM at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 13555 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75240. After burial, please join us in the church hall to celebrate his life with a traditional Greek meal.
Mourners wishing to make donations in lieu of flowers may support the Wounded Warrior Project.
What’s your fondest memory of Phoebus?
What’s a lesson you learned from Phoebus?
Share a story where Phoebus' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Phoebus you’ll never forget.
How did Phoebus make you smile?
