John George Fragakis

John George Fragakis was born May 2,1948 in Baltimore to the late George John Fragakis and Mary Eoannou. From an early age, John sought to make life interesting no matter the circumstances. In this endeavor, he had great success. The oldest of three children, John spent his early years in Wythevillle, VA before moving to Charlotte where he graduated from Garringer High School. He matriculated at North Carolina State University where he was a member of ROTC and Phi Kappa Tau, earning a degree in Engineering. After completing his army service duty at Fort Belvoir, John enrolled in the MBA program at George Washington University. He spent much of his free time learning to sail on the Potomac, igniting a life-long passion he would pursue at every opportunity. Shortly before graduation, John sensed opportunity and left D.C for Winston-Salem to found American Wholesale Beverage in 1973, an endeavor that would shape the next four decades of his life. Drawing upon the vibrant social customs of his Greek heritage and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, John found great pleasure in his work. He started and sold two additional wine and beverage companies before a growing interest in distillation and craft spirits inspired his ultimate venture. In 2014, John founded Broad Branch Distillery with his long-time friend Nick Doumas in downtown Winston-Salem. John married his wife Sophia Toompas in 1975. It was an ideal match and a loving, complementary partnership. Together, they raised two daughters, Natalie, and Anna. John loved, admired, and respected the women in his life. They in turn, were devoted to him, attuned to his every mood and need. He would often look at the three of them, shake his head and say “Unbelievable. How lucky am I?” John was a dedicated member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, volunteering and serving in several capacities. He found fulfillment and fellowship in the men’s Bible study group with Father Demetri. Honesty and a sense of humor were two qualities John admired most in others. Thoughtful with his words and a good listener, when John spoke you payed attention. An avid sailor, John traveled up and down the East Coast competing in races from Florida to Maine, often with Sophia and the girls in tow. No matter where he traveled, whether for work or pleasure, the final destination was usually a body of water. There, he was truly in his element. Music also captivated John, particularly rhythm + blues and southern soul. A perfect day for John would start on the water, clean winds at 15 knots, before joining his family for a good meal (with excellent service), a bottle of great wine (at a decent value), accompanied by plenty of jokes and laughter, with the tides shifting and a record spinning in the background. He enjoyed more than a few perfect days. John was fortunate to have many loyal friends whom he cared for deeply. His was a life well-lived and he will be dearly missed by all those who loved him. John was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law James and Dorothy Toompas. He is survived by his wife Sophia, his daughters Natalie Spinosa and Anna Windham, their husbands Chris and Bryan, his grandchildren John, Ellie, Julia, Rhodes and McLain, his sister Eve Pappas and her husband Pete, his brother William and his wife Lisa Huber, his brothers-in-law Arthur Toompas and his wife June, and Jimmie Toompas and his wife Kim. The family would like to thank John’s caregivers from Hairston Home Care (particularly Renee, Chris, and Debra) and Trellis Supportive Care. John fell asleep in the Lord on February 15, 2025. Visitation will commence at 10:30 AM followed by a Trisagion and Funeral at 12PM at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on Tuesday, February 18th. The service will be officiated by Father Minas Tsambounieris and Father Costa Shepherd. Following the service, Interment will be at Forsyth Memorial Park, then returning to the Church Hall for a traditional meal. Memorial donations may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Foundation, 435 Keating Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 or Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.