Christoforos Demetrios Anargirou
February 8, 1928 – October 1, 2026
Christoforos (Chris) Demetrios Anargirou, 98, of Arlington, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at his home on October 1, 2026.
He was the devoted husband of the late Anna (Caramanis), with whom he shared 61 years of marriage. Chris was born on the island of Salamina, Greece, and was the son of the late Demetrios and Politimi. He was predeceased by seven siblings.
During his childhood, World War II broke out. The family home was occupied by hostile forces. Food became scarce, and Chris realized as a small child that he needed to contribute in any way he could to help his family. He recounted stories of diving in the sea to recover sacks of flour from the ocean, dodging enemy bullets, and selling dried tobacco leaves on the street.
As a teen, he joined the Hellenic Navy, where he proudly served as a Chief Petty Officer. On a tour to Boston he met Anna, the love of his life. They married in 1956 in Salamina. Upon discharge, without knowing a word of English, he took a leap of faith and moved to Arlington, Massachusetts, where he and Anna raised their family.
Chris was a hard worker with an analytical mind who contributed much in his career at BLH Electronics. He served as a mentor to many and made lifelong friends. Above all, Chris will be remembered for his love of family, friends, and telling a good story. He had a remarkable memory, often describing minute details of events of long ago. He loved all children, and most recently had a special bond with several kids in the neighborhood. They brought him much joy. He enjoyed gatherings, often the center of the party, as well as fishing, camping with his cherished VW bus, the ocean, traveling, and following Boston sports teams.
Chris easily made friends wherever he was. He took great joy in making people smile. He was very generous, ready to offer a helping hand, food, tools, or whatever someone needed. He was ingenious and often found clever, resourceful ways out of a problem. One time, many years ago, a friend was stuck on the side of the road with a gas pedal that no longer functioned. Chris would not be deterred. He created a hand pulley to operate the gas, it worked and off they were. Trips to Greece were frequent. In addition to visiting family and friends, he enjoyed taking his kids to ancient ruins, historical sites, monasteries, and museums, often weaving in factual details with personal memories. The kids had to pay attention, even though they would often prefer to just be at the beach with cousins and friends. Quizzes often followed.
When grandchildren came along, Chris and Anna got to pick up where they left off with their own kids. They loved to take their beloved grandchildren to fun places, support them at school events, softball, baseball, soccer, and field hockey games. When they weren’t running around to events, they spent hours cooking and baking together. Amanda and Andrew will always hold on to the many tips and tricks they both instilled in them. Chris was very proud of Amanda and Andrew’s accomplishments as young adults, especially their college graduations. Most recently, Chris was able to travel up to Maine to celebrate Amanda’s wedding with the entire family.
In earlier years, Chris was a devoted steward at St. Athanasius Church of Arlington, MA, serving for many years on Parish Council and in the choir, alongside Anna. In recent years, he was active at St. Nicholas Church of Lexington, MA. His faith was central to his life. Up until now, Chris lived independently in his own home, on his own terms, with the support of family and friends.
Chris is survived by his daughters, Pauline Sager and her husband William, and Mary Anargirou, his grandchildren, Amanda Start and her husband Alex, and Andrew Sager. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to a charity of one’s choice. The public viewing will take place from 10 AM – 11 AM on Tuesday, October 6 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 17 Meriam Street, Lexington, MA. The funeral will take place at 11 AM on Tuesday, October 6 at St. Nicholas Church. Burial will follow the funeral at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington, MA. All are welcome to attend.