Nicholas "Nick" Efstatios

On December 16, 2021 Nicholas Efstatios, “Nick” beloved husband of Iphigenia, “Fifi” Efstatios for 62 years; loving father of daughter, Despina Argyrakis and father-in-law of the late Michael Argyrakis; Gus Efstatios, son; daughter, Helen Panagiotopoulos and her husband Chris; cherished grandfather of John “Yanni” and Nicholas “Niko” Panagiotopoulos; dear brother of the late Parthena Gymnopulou and brother-in-law Alexander Gymnopulou; dear brother of Dr. Helen Efstatios; dear Brother-in-law to the late Seva and Dimitri Karageorgoupoulou; dear Brother-in-law to John Joakimide; and many loving relatives and friends, fell asleep in the Lord.

Born in the small mountain village of Kozane not far from Thessaloniki Greece on February 15, 1930, “Nick” Efstatios at an early age experienced the hardships of WWII, during the German occupation. At the age of 19, he left Greece to join his father, Constantine (Gus) Efstatios, in the United States to help with the family shoe repair business in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, and after some time relocated to Maryland to help his Uncle Andy run a “lunch wagon” restaurant business near Bethlehem Steel. An avid learner, he went to night school for English and electronics courses to proudly secure his citizenship at the young age of 20. He later worked at Westinghouse as a Draftsman while attending and graduating from the RETS technical school where he ultimately discovered his passion for repairing TV’s. He later retired from Montgomery Wards after 25 years of fixing TV’s all over Maryland. However, never to forget his roots, he travelled back to Greece in 1957 to visit his mother and relatives where he met the love of his life and soul-mate “Fifi” and after 10 days married her for what would become a 62 year partnership until her passing. She was and forever will be the rock he shared all his jokes and laughs with through sickness and health.

Nick was known by his family as a giver, a gentle giant larger than life, a handy man, and a hard worker who loved life, his family and friends, reading, teaching, laughing, and delicious food. A lively, captivating storyteller, he would tell of his travels across Maryland to repair TV’s as well as stories and verses memorized from the Bible and ancient Greek history. To quote his favorite Greek historical figure, Alexander the Great, “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” Nick was both a proud father and a teacher with a treasure trove of historical knowledge and wisdom. He would often carry around index notecards to write down nuggets of wisdom for his children, such as math times tables and about how exercise and laughing diaphragmatically activates enzymes that improve health. A true St. Nick as well as a jokester and child at heart, he loved to play games and buy gifts and toys for his children to make them smile and laugh. One particular fond memory is when he helped his grandsons learn to ride their bikes. Every time they would fall he would catch them and give them one more push until they could pedal all on their own. Likewise, it serves as an analogy to life; that even when we can’t see Him, God is right behind us ready to a give a little push in the right direction – forward. At other times the gift of his time and presence at home, school, orchestra/band concerts, doctor appointments, graduations, Greek dance practices, and more showed the love and affection he had for his true treasures – his family, children, grandchildren and friends. However, his favorite gift was the Bible, where he would often tab Matthew 5:41 and 17:20. A devoted husband and caregiver for his late “Fifi”, he would often say that the key to a long life and marriage is love, faith, and forgiveness; he remains an eternal reminder not to harden our hearts to God even in times that try our souls. A man gifted by God’s grace with a song in his heart, he served in altar in Greece and loved chanting and singing proverbial Greek rhymes and songs, sometimes in the shower and at other times as a surprise followed by a laugh.

He had many positive, lighthearted sayings and phrases that will remain with us, such as:“Okey-doke” “Nothing but the best” “Fine and Dandy” “Oh, that is nothing” and morecoupled with his quintessential, jovial laugh and smile. We will miss his stories, laugh, golden heart full of love he shared every day - among many other gifts. We are left with his words and example that “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” and that our “Faith can move mountains” from a Mountain of a Man.

Visitation, Memorial Services, and Interment will be Private.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make donation to the Annunciation Cathedral can go to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral - Home (annunciationbaltimore.org) .

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.