George Peter Despotopoulos, 84, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2019 at home with his family by his side. George was born on June 2, 1934 in the village of Lagadia, a Greek settlement embedded into the rugged mountains of southern Greece. He was the son of Panagiotis and Yannoula Despotopoulos. George was a loyal member of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Chicopee. Like many Greeks, burdened with harsh living conditions and limited opportunities in post WWII Greece, George left his family and loved ones and made his way across the Atlantic via cargo ship - with a couple bucks in his pocket and a dream for a better life. George’s life in America was a classic Horatio Alger story. He worked at several types of manual jobs until he had the opportunity to open a pizza shop which he named Palace Pizza. As a pizza businessmen for nearly 50 years, he stayed committed to serving quality product at a fair price and treating every customer fairly and with dignity. His authentic desire to please his customers made Palace Pizza a venerated institution in East Springfield. George also used his success to help some of his closest friends to open their own pizza establishments, wanting to see them succeed. George was content with his success and never forgot where he came from. George’s entire adult life was centered around his beloved family. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 59 years, Bessie; his two loving children, Joanne (John) and Peter; in addition, he leaves behind four grandchildren who dearly love their Papou. He worked tirelessly and faithfully to provide and care for his family. This was his driving purpose in life and what defined his character. He was the cornerstone of his family. The bedrock. The mainstay. George’s life was the embodiment of unwavering devotion to one’s family. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 11 am at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Chicopee. Visiting Hours will be held on the morning of Saturday, March 23, 2019 at the church from 10 am to 11 am. Burial will follow the service at Fairview Cemetery.