Dimitrios Nicholas Papanicolas passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at the age of 87.
Dimitrios was born in Deleria, Greece. Due to the death of his father at a young age, Dimitrios helped raise his seven siblings running the family farm. After serving in the Greek Army, he met his wife, Maria Pontikas, and they married in September 1964. They then moved together with their first born daughter to the USA. Dimitrios joined his brothers in the family business, the Ivystone Restaurant. In 1976, he and his youngest brother opened the T’Adelphia Restaurant in the Newark Shopping Center, and he worked there until he retired. Dimitrios and Maria were members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, where he was known as “Taki” to his Greek friends.
Dimitrios loved to entertain for family and friends, especially for Easter. He enjoyed visiting many good friends, and was a proud vegetable gardener. Always a fan of sports, he proudly watched his son excel at soccer.
Dimitrios is survived by his wife of 51 years, Maria and children, Eleni Kledaras (Antoni), Toula Pithis (Daniel) and Nicholas Papanicolas (Courtney), and grandchildren William Kledaras, Olympia Kledaras, Peter Pithis, Dimitrios Papanicolas and Armando Papanicolas. Also surviving are his siblings, Socrates, Andreas, Timmy, Mary, Evan and his many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 15 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m., with interment following at Silverbrook Cemetery.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 808 North Broom Street, Wilmington, DE 19806.