George Petros Theodorakos, 84, of Mountville, passed away at home on Saturday, September 28, 2024, after bravely battling Lewy body dementia for nearly eight years. George was preceded in death by his much-loved sister and brother, Margarita and Panagiotis.
But this is only part of the story.
George, beloved husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and determined entrepreneur, was born in Laconia, Mani, a gorgeous part of southern Greece. A few months before the resolution of the Second World War, George, at the tender age of five, was embroiled in the first of two stages of Greece's Civil War, along with his siblings and his mother, leading them to flee their home and find refuge in nearby caves and abandoned houses. During this period, George's heroic father, Petros, perished, leaving the family struggling after his death. However, George's mother, Stamatia, made sure her children were well-fed, warm, and educated, and she eventually purchased a second home near Athens to ensure her children's access to better resources for a better life. These life experiences made George the hardest-working, most honest person in the room.
Once of age, George joined the Greek army, where he excelled as an officer, and his love of motorcycles and travel (especially to Germany) was born. During his service, George suffered a terrible, life-threatening motorcycle accident, which shaped his "don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today" attitude from early on. So, a few years later, in the early 1970s, George traveled to the United States for a more fulfilling life. He had a few dollars in his pocket and a small suitcase with him, and immediately went to work in a factory in New York City for a short while before finding work in the restaurant business.
He later moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, where he earned enough money to open his first pizzeria, Four Corners Pizza. An instant success, this experience spurred his love of supporting local charities, especially ones centered on children. His customers knew him to be a generous man, a well-earned reputation that he cherished throughout his lifetime. By 1980, George left Connecticut to open another successful restaurant in Wilmington, Delaware, The Pizza Castle.
George married the love of his life, Stamatia (a.k.a. Stacey), in Greece, after a whirlwind two-month romance. Stacey joined George in Wilmington, Delaware in 1980, several months after their marriage, with his first and only son, Petros, in tow. In the few years that followed, his beloved daughters, Athena and Margarita, respectively, were born.
Then, in 1987, George's entrepreneurial spirit whisked him and his family away to Mountville, Pennsylvania, a small Lancaster County town, to open yet another rip-roaringly successful restaurant named George's Family Restaurant and Pizza Castle. Here, George and his beloved wife recreated many successful dishes adored by prior customers and introduced additional, mouth-watering options, including breakfast a few years later. He made sure that his customers got affordable and delicious food, and he ensured that local youth sports teams received substantial donations and celebratory pizza whether they won or lost, as he had previously done at his other restaurants.
George embraced the future, and his formidable work ethic and giving heart were well-known and appreciated by everyone who met him. He truly loved his work and his happy customers. George will be sorely missed by all who met and knew him. We love you, Dad.
The Funeral Service will be held at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 12:00 Noon with Father Hector Firoglanis, officiating. The Viewing will be held from 10:30 A.M. until 12:00 Noon. Interment in Conestoga Memorial Park. Please omit flowers. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Arrangements by the Workman Funeral Homes, Inc., Mountville/Columbia. To send an online condolence, visit the condolence page.