DRACUT - George K. Panagopoulos, 66, a longtime resident of Dracut, died Monday August 17th.
He was born in the small village of Gianeika in southern Greece on January 16, 1943, to the late Konstantinos and Athanasia (Bletsis) Panagopoulos. He never knew his mother, who died when he was only two, and was raised by close relatives, siblings and his father, Konstantinos. He left his family while he was only a young boy in search of work in Athens and was eventually taken in by a kind family that provided for him. After completing his military duty in Greece, he worked and lived abroad, before coming the Lowell, MA in 1968.
In 1971 he returned to Greece to marry his beloved wife Vasiliki (Antonopoulos) Panagopoulos. They then returned to to Lowell to begin a family of their own and he became naturalized American citizen in 1975. After several years in Lowell, they moved to Dracut with their sons Costas and Timoleon.
Mr. Panagopoulos was a local business owner and an active member of the Greek-American community in Lowell. He served on the parish council at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell and was, more recently, a parishioner at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Dracut.
He was, like many immigrants, a hard worker who was devoted to his family and to his community. Many will remember-and miss-him as a kind and gentle individual who always had a smile on his face. He enjoyed the simple things in life, and had a passion for Greek delicacies and music. His main joy was his family and the community of friends and relatives that sustained him.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Fordham University, of New York City, NY, and Timoleon Panagopoulos, an entrepreneur in Boston, of Dracut; nephews, Leonidas Stelos and Kostas Stelos, both of Lowell. as well as a brother Demetrios and a sister, Katerina, and their families who reside in Greece. He was also the brother of the late Jannoula Stelos.
Friends may call at the DRACUT FUNERAL HOME, 2159 Lakeview Avenue, DRACUT, on Thursday from 4 until 8 PM. His Funeral will be held from the funeral home on Friday at 9 AM, followed by his Funeral Service at 10 AM at Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Dracut. Interment in Westlawn Cemetery II in Lowell. Those who wish, may make donations in his memory to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 1160 Mammoth Road, Dracut, MA 01826. For condolences please use the icon below.