West Springfield, MA – John Nekitopoulos, 91, died Sunday morning at Baystate Medical center.  John was born in Feeding Hills Massachusetts, the son of Pauline Duvall and Christy Nekitopoulos.  He grew up on Bevier Street in Springfield MA.  As a young boy John enjoyed riding his horse and considered himself quite the equestrian, until one particularly hot day when he unsaddled to give the horse a rest. 'Bucky' refused to be re-saddled and John had to walk home from Monson, all the while dragging his saddle.  John worked at the local market stocking shelves and delivering groceries on bicycle.  He attributed his time there as the best experience of his life, learning the value of hard work and how to get along and satisfy customers.  John would frequently accompany his truck-driving father on long trips to Boston to keep him awake. He grew to know the routes so well that John would assist new drivers finding their way. On one particular trip when John was twelve, the driver of the truck was taking too many breaks and falling behind. Frustrated, John hot wired the truck and finished the Boston run himself, returning in the early hours the next morning. Thus began his life-long love of trucks, truck driving, and logistics.  He graduated from Springfield Technical High School where he frequently left mid day, whenever his father parked their truck out front for John to make deliveries.  When John was eighteen, he took over his father's business, A-C Motor Express, becoming the youngest trucking company owner at that time. John and his parents recognized West Springfield as a pivotal junction for transportation in and out of New England and developed much of the unused railroad land in the Merrick neighborhood, building warehouses, truck terminals and retail buildings. Today these buildings provide work for over 500 families. He loved the transportation industry and his favorite time of the day was just before dawn, watching the sunrise and the unsung men and women bringing the world to life.  He could spend hours describing the smallest detail of everything he saw.  He wanted all of us to work and live to our utmost potential and he believed we could learn something new from each other every day.  John worked to his last day and he felt that he carried a little bit of everyone he associated with in life inside him and credits them for his good life and business success.  John was drafted into the United States Army's during the Korean conflict, serving with the Alaskan Defense Command.  He was a 32 ^nd degree Mason with the Esoteric Sherwood Lodge.  John was a Melha Shriner in their Directors Staff and with the Scottish Rites.  He was a member of the Granite, Nutmeg and New England chapters of the American Truck Historical Society from which he received a 50-year achievement award in 2004.  John and his wife's attendance at the truck chapter meetings was always greeted with great enthusiasm, largely thanks to his wife's baking skills.  When John was 70 years old he found something he loved more than trucks, his wonderful wife Faith who transformed his bachelor house into a loving home where everyone was welcome.  Besides his wife, Faith (Nelson) Nekitopoulos, he leaves four children, Kathleen Nekitopoulos, John Nekitopoulos, Jr. (Anne), Susan Maxfield (Ed) of West Springfield and a daughter Rae Etta Crary (Tim) Davenport, FL, stepdaughters Cheryl Davies  (Tom), Cazenovia, NY, and Bonnie Brown, West Boylston, MA, sister Eva Wild, Phoenix, AZ, a nephew Greg Medford and niece Renee Medford, both in Phoenix, extended family Jason Demerski (Kim), West Springfield, fifteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.  A private family funeral will be held in the Chapel of the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral followed by burial in Oak Grove Cemetery.  A joyful celebration of life is anticipated when the world returns back to normal.  Get your stories ready!  The West Springfield Curran-Jones Funeral Home is handling all arrangements.  For online condolences and information please visit curranjones.com.  Memorial contributions may be made to The Shriner's Hospital, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA  01104.