Greek-American Historical Museum of Washington State

Nationality

Greek Immigrant Meets Southern Belle
,

AHEPA Architecture Church Exhibits Greece Hobbies Immigrant Keeping Community Nationality Northern Greece Organizations Philoptochos Puget Sound Saint Nicholas Sports Tacoma Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

GREEK IMMIGRANT MEETS SOUTHERN BELLE George and Diane Pirotis’ son, Stavros, has enjoyed a mix of cultures and accents, from his father, a Greek …

The Gentleman From Bellingham
,

Assumption Business Owner Church Exhibits First Generation Making a Living Nationality Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

THE GENTLEMAN FROM BELLINGHAM John J. Franks was born in Bellingham, Washington, on July 24, 1929, where he attended both high school and college. …

Building a Greek House
,

Athens Cars Church Exhibits Greece Hobbies Immigrant Making a Living Military Nationality Puget Sound Restaurant Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

BUILDING A GREEK HOUSE Philip and Seane Feredinos tell their children that they love them from here to God and back again. They have …

An Ever-Present Greek Eccentric
,

Exhibits First Generation Greece Making a Home Nationality Puget Sound Seattle Washington State Western Washington

AN EVER-PRESENT GREEK ECCENTRIC George Beaman Kotolaris (1929-1990) was a notable figure in Seattle, Washington. He was known to attend almost every Greek social …

A Good Life in Cashmere
,

Athens Church Diner Eastern Washington Exhibits Greece Immigrant Making a Living Military Nationality Restaurant Saint Demetrios Type of Work Washington State

A GOOD LIFE IN CASHMERE Christos (Chris) Roumeliotis was born in Athens, Greece, on December 17, 1925. His experiences in Greece during World War …

Firm, Fair and Friendly
,

AHEPA Central Greece Church Education Finance First Generation Greece Making a Living Organizations Washington State Western Washington

FIRM, FAIR AND FRIENDLY Louis Lallas’ first employer told him he would be successful in both life and business if he consistently followed the …

Restaurants, Property and All That Jazz
,

AHEPA Central Greece Church Exhibits First Generation Greece Hobbies Immigrant Making a Living Music Nationality Night Club Organizations Puget Sound Real Estate Restaurant Saint Demetrios Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

Gus Boutsinis and his brother John Dimitriou grew up in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood and have achieved success in the restaurant, property development and entertainment businesses.

Mountain Boy Meets City Girl
,

Cars Exhibits Greece Hobbies Immigrant Making a Living Medicine Nationality Northern Greece Puget Sound Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

Alexandros “Alecos” Constantinou Kralios was born on January 30, 1937, in Komotini, two and one-half hours east of Thessaloniki in north eastern Greece. Fani Niki Andreou Papadimitriou was born in the city of Athens on May 24, 1939. They share their experiences as research physicians in Greece and after almost 50 years in the United States.

“It’s just part of who we are.”
,

AHEPA Assumption Church Exhibits First Generation Greece Hobbies Information Technology Keeping Community Organizations Philoptochos Puget Sound Sales Seattle Sports Tacoma Turkey Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

Sisters Mary Lou Barton and Joanne Zarkades contribute innumerable hours to their church, not out of obligation but, just like their mother, it is just part of who they are.

Working in a Floral Paradise
,

AHEPA Business Owner Central Greece Church Exhibits Greece Immigrant Making a Living Nationality Organizations Puget Sound Real Estate Saint Demetrios Type of Work Washington State

Louie and Mary Malesis have made significant contributions to both the Renton and Seattle, Washington, communities. In 2015 their granddaughter Sophia Giakoumatos interviewed her grandfather and the results of that interview are presented here. Their story is supplemented with information in italics from a video interview with both Louie and Mary in 2017.