Braintree- It is with deep sadness but great pride to inform my family and friends that my dad passed away today at the age of 82.  He was a great dad to me and my brothers and a kind grandfather to all his grandchildren and a great grandfather to his great granddaughter.  My dad was a proud and selfless man.  He cared for his family in his new country as well as his family in Greece.  His father died when my dad was 7 years old, during World War II and the Nazi occupation of Greece.  He was the man of the house taking care of his 3 sisters while his mother worked.  His childhood was very tough and at the age of 16 he asked a Bishop to help him join the Merchant Marines of Greece so that he could earn money to send to his mother and sisters. Against his mother’s wishes he left and sailed all over the world in old Liberty ships.  Along his voyages he met a French nurse who was afraid and stayed with her during an attack.  He also went to India many times and would go help Mother Theresa and bring her feta cheese from the ship to eat and share with the poor.  On another trip he ended up in the Caribbean and his ship was used in an old movie called “The Decks Ran Red - Infamy” in 1958.  There he met Nat King Cole and they used to sing together.  In 1958 he came to the United States to visit family in Connecticut and decided to make a life in this country.  Friends introduced him to my mom in Somerville.  They were married on August 21st, 1960 and I showed up on August 14th, 1961.  Then my brother Chris was born on August 16, 1964 and then Eliot came along on August 16, 1965.  They settled in Somerville. He started working as a janitor at banks and the old Hancock tower.  From there he worked at Birch Brothers (a machine shop).  He even worked at the Shipyard in Quincy for General Dynamics.  My dad always looked to better himself.  He owned a taxi in Boston, owned a Shell Gas Station in Central Square in Cambridge where Johnny Havlicek from the Boston Celtics was a regular customer.  In 1971 an opportunity presented itself where he purchased the Dunkin Donuts in Weymouth Landing and the Family resettled in Braintree.  My dad gave hundreds of people opportunities and helped those kids that needed guidance.  As he made a good living for his family here and in Greece he gave to many charities and sponsored a child in Thailand.  In 1978 at the age of 44 while he and I were moving a piece of kitchen equipment into the basement he slouched and went down.  He suffered a severe stroke where he was not expected to survive but he was a fighter and pulled through after a long 6 months.  He was never the same but always tried to keep working and guiding his kids.  He stayed strong until about 15 years ago when the effects of the stroke started to take hold.  His brain cells were dying, and vascular dementia set in.  After a few more years Alzheimer’s started to set in as well.  He was a fighter until the end.  He died amongst his wife, sons, daughter in laws, grandchildren, sister, sister in law, nieces and nephews.  He will always be in my heart and I miss him already.  Love you, Dad. Visiting Hours for Mike will be held at the Mortimer N. Peck-Russell Peck Funeral Home 516 Washington Street, Braintree on Wednesday December 6, 2017 from 4 to 8 P.M. A funeral for Mike will be held at Saint Catherine’s Greek Orthodox Church, 1129 Common Street, Braintree on Thursday December 7, 2017 at 11:00am. Burial will follow at Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.  Donations in Mike’s name may be made to the Dianne DeVanna Center, 74 Pond Street, Braintree, MA. 02184

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