Greek-American Historical Museum of Washington State

Nationality

Firm, Fair and Friendly
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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
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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
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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.”
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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
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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.

Her Dad Liked Him
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AHEPA Church Exhibits Greece Making a Living Nationality Northern Greece Organizations Pizza Puget Sound Restaurant Saint Demetrios Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

When Demetrios Voltsis visited the family of his new friend in Seattle, Washington, the friend’s sister was not impressed. That impression has improved immensely over 50 years.

“I’m your cousin! I’m your cousin!”
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Church Exhibits Government Greece Hobbies Keeping Community Nationality Peloponese Puget Sound Saint Demetrios Seattle Second Generation Sports Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

Family in the Greek culture is very important. Frequently, families will “adopt” people to join them by calling them thea (aunt) or theo (uncle) either for respect, to acknowledge closeness or, to expand a small family. Friends who are godparents to children or sponsors for a married couple are called koumbari and are considered family. Whether at home in Seattle, Washington, or while visiting his ancestral homes in Greece, Jim Kost regularly hears this call from those he encounters.

From the Heart of Greece
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AHEPA Assumption Central Greece Church Everett Exhibits Finance First Generation Greece Keeping Community Nationality Organizations Puget Sound Real Estate Seattle Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

As Tommy Rakus’ family came from Roumeli, tin carthia tis Elathas (the heart of Greece), his passion for all things Greek originates not from the food, the dancing or the language but from his heart.

From Smith to Asimakoupoulos
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Central Greece Church CLERGY Exhibits Greece Hobbies Making a Living Nationality Puget Sound Second Generation Sports Type of Work Washington State Western Washington

Where most Greek families with long names shortened or Anglicized them, Greg Asimakoupoulos’ family did just the opposite. With Greek and Norwegian parents his connections run deep with families in Seattle, Washington, and the northwest United States.

Jews and Greeks Together
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Aegean Islands Exhibits Finance First Generation Greece Hobbies Islands Keeping Community Music Nationality Northern Greece Puget Sound Real Estate Seattle Second Generation Thessaloniki Washington State Western Washington

In about 1890 two Jewish men, Jack Policar and Solomon Calvo, were traveling in Turkey and were considering migrating to New York City.  On …