In loving memory of

Charalambos D. Aliprantis
December 31, 1969 - December 31, 1969

Charalambos ?Roko? D. Aliprantis, 62, died in West Lafayette, Indiana on February 27, 2009 after fighting lung cancer for over 6 years. He is survived by his wife Bernadette, his children Claire and Dionissi, and his brothers Christopher and Spiros. Roko was born to Dr. Dionysios and Sofronia Aliprantis on May 12, 1946 in the village of Lakithra on the Greek island of Cephalonia. He was raised during some of the most turbulent years of modern Greek history, surviving hunger, disease, civil war, a catastrophic earthquake, and dictatorship. He came to the United States to study for his PhD in Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology, which he completed in 1973. Roko spent 22 years on the faculty at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis, and the last 11 years at Purdue University in West Lafayette, where he was a Distinguished Professor of Economics and Professor of Mathematics.

Roko?s areas of specialization included economic theory, where he made key contributions to general equilibrium theory, and functional analysis and operator theory, where he was recognized as one of the leading experts in the area of ordered vector spaces and positive operators. Roko authored or coauthored over 90 scholarly articles and twelve books, including the widely used textbooks Principles of Real Analysis (with O. Burkinshaw) and Infinite Dimensional Analysis: A Hitchhiker?s Guide (with K. Border). He was noted not only for the clarity and elegance of his writing in both Economics and Mathematics, but also for his tremendous service to the profession. This included his organization of a biennial international conference on economic theory, The Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory, the founding of the scholarly journals Economic Theory and Annals of Finance, and his work as Editor-in-Chief of Positivity, a mathematical research journal.

In addition to his professional work, Roko was also deeply devoted to his family and proud of his Greek heritage. Some of his happiest times were spent with his family on summer trips to his beloved home island of Cephalonia. His family and peers regarded him as an intellectual leader and a fair-minded individual of integrity. Roko found beauty in Mathematics, History, Philosophy, Greek culture, and the natural world, and he believed strongly in the power of the human mind to improve the world.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made in his memory to either The Timmy Foundation, 22 E. 22nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46202; IU Foundation/TOP Research, IU Simon Cancer Center, PO Box 660245, Indianapolis, IN 46266; or St. Elizabeth?s Hospice, 1415 Salem Street, Suite 202W, Lafayette, IN 47904.

The viewing will be on Sunday, March 1st, from 1-5 pm at the Leppert Mortuary, Nora Chapel in Indianapolis, and the funeral will begin at 11am on Monday, March 2nd at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Carmel, with visitation beginning at 10 am on Monday. There will also be a service soon in Cephalonia. You are invited to visit www.leppertmortuary.com where you may sign the online guest book, leave a personal message to the family or make a memorial contribution.

Tributes

Troy & Suzanne DeLay wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Roko was a friend who left a great impression on our minds and hearts. I enjoyed and remember many conversations of his Greek home. Discussions of the Greek politics, the countryside and the food brought back many memories of the two and a half years I had the pleasure of residing in Greece. My friend; Suzanne and I loved you and will miss the enjoyable times spent with you and your family. Troy & Suzanne DeLay"

George and Natalie Messaris, Stathis Messaris wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadettte, Claire and Dionissi,We are shattered. There are no words to express our sadness. Roko was a wonderful person, a sensitive human being, an excellent academic, an exemplary friend. We were lucky to have had him as a friend. He shall always be alive in our hearts."

Costas and Thekli Drossos wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Roko was our dearest friend and our clasmate at the University of Athens. We will miss you fron "Platis Yialos" next summer and we always remeber you and your mathematical and general nice ideas! Dear Bernadette and Children we expreess out deep condolences."

Mike and Pat Cloud wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Claire and family,Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in the death of your father. We are so sorry for your loss. We will pray for your comfort during this very difficult time in your lives."

Arlene Rovell wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"To Bernadette and your Children,My heart goes out to each of you in the loss you have suffered, what an extraordinary Husband, Father and Scholar shared your lives and the memories you carry in your hearts. May God bless, comfort and give you the strength to face the days ahead. Sincerely"

Zoe Kominatos and Family wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Children,Please accept my sincere condolences at the loss of your beloved husband and father."

Nick and Christine Markantonatos and Family wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Children,We are shocked at the loss of your beloved husband and father and wonderful friend of ours. We shall always remember him. "

Cephallonian Brotherhood of Sydney and NSW wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Children,Our thoughts are with you these difficult times. Professor Rokos Aliprantis will always be remembered for his undivided devotion to his fellow beings. Please accept the sincere condolences of the President, the Committee and all our Members."

Rani & Ravinder Surakanti, wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette ,.Claire, Dionissi,Our deepest sympathy and condolences and our thoughts are with your familyRani,Ravinder."

Suzannah (Park) Sorg & Family wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Our condolences to the Aliprantis family. Dionissi has been such a good friend to Paul for a long time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. "

Pam and Larry Rothenberg wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"We are so sorry for your loss. We have such good memories of your family and having the opportunity to get to know you through Suzy and John's friendship growing up. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.Pam"

Bob and Cindy Kirkpatrick wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"We will ever remember Roko amid so many fine aspects. We think of him in the words of Joaquin Miller (b. 1837 in Liberty IN): "You sail and you seek for the Fortunate Isles, The old Greek Isles of the yellow bird's song." Comfort,"

George & Kathy Pitoukkas and Family, The Parthenon wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Children,Our deepest condolences to your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during these difficult times. May his memory live on eternally."

Fanis Tsoulouhas wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Roko was one of the most fair-minded and decent people I ever met in my life. We will truly miss him. But he is in a better place now."

Zac Brewer wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"He was a good friend. He always gives me a christmas gift. I would like to say sorry to the family."

Zac Brewer wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"He was a good friend. He always gives me a christmas gift. I like to say sorry to the family."

Dennis, Christine & Stathis Messaris wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Family,Our deepest condolences for the loss of your beloved husband and father. Our warmest thoughts will be with you at this difficult time of your lives."

CHRIS PROKOPIS & FAMILY wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"DEAR BERNADETTE AND CHILDRENOUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO YOUR FAMILY.MAY HIS MEMORY LIVE IN ETERNALLY.CHRIS PROKOPIS & FAMILYPAL FALIRON / TRAVLIATA GREECE"

Elias Dinopoulos wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette and Children.Roko has been a good friend and mentor to me as to many other economists. He has touched my mind with his work and my heart with his discency, love for Greece, and passion for economics. Although he lost his battle with cancer and cross the bridge that all of us have to cross one day, his thoughts and words will be with all of us through his books and artcles. The profession lost a great economist; Greece lost a patriot; and I lost a true friend and an advisor. Kalo taxidi Roko."

Rosalie Groskurd Bandy wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"The impact of having had the wonderful experienceof working for Roko will always be with me. Besidesbeing brillant and intuitive, he was always a kind andgenerous human being. You are in my prayers, Bernadette, Claire and Dionissi. "

Paul S. Lykoudis and Aliki Galopoulou wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadettte, Claire and Dionissi,We have been lucky to know Roko. A great loss to all of us. He leaves behind his sense of joy for life to say nothig of his scientific work. As we say in Greece, he is alive as long as he is remembered...Sorry that we are not in Lafayette. With much love, Paul and Aliki"

Ann Menke wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Claire, Dionissi, and Bernadette,I was sad to hear about Roko's death. I think I only met him once or twice but what a wonderful person he must have been. I was not aware of ALL that he had accomplished in his life, as well as having such a wonderful family.My sincere sympathy to all of you.love,Ann "

Susanna Papadopoulou wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"Dear Bernadette,I am very sad about the loss of Roko, a very good friend from the time of our studies in Athens, an excellent scientist and a wonderful personality. He will be alive in the memory of all people who had the luck to know him. "

George Baloglou wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"I was not a friend or collaborator, but I have warm memories of a few walks and conversations at the national AMS meetings during the 1984-1993 period."

SHADEMAN Arsalan wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

"My deep condolences to my colleagues at the Dept of Math.Purdue University, as well as to All his family and friends.I am sorry and share with them not only because I was visiting Purdue University in 2003-2004 and missed a visit in person to him, but also because a wide use of two translations of his book Principles of Real Analysis to Persian is actually in use by many of MS Students in Pure and Applied Mathematics and makes him alive in Iran. The original English version is of course also frequently used by the Math. Community in Iran.The deep friendship between Iranians and Greek People is much more substantial than words in books on the history of ancient wars among Persia and Greek Powers. "

Joesph wrote on Nov 13, 2012:

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