Nikolaos G. Pappas, known to most people as Nick, died on June 18, 2026, with his family around him.
He is survived by his wife, Fotini (Bligiannos), his son George and his wife Maria, his daughter Irene, and his grandson, Nikolaos, who was especially dear to him.
Nick was born in the spring of 1944 in Demati, Ioannina, Greece, to George Pappas and Maria Angelis Pappas. He was the youngest of five children and grew up during the hard years that followed World War II and led into the Greek Civil War.
He went to elementary school in his village, walking several miles from the neighborhood of Georgopoula, often through snow and uphill terrain. He was a strong student, and his parents wanted him to continue. For high school, they sent him to Ioannina, where he boarded with the family of Demetrios Botsaris, who later became a close friend.
After high school and his required military service, Nick studied economics in Athens, with support from his uncles, Konstantinos and Efthimios Pappas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1970. In Athens, he also met Pantelis Tsaknakis, who became one of his closest friends and later his koumbaro. They were roommates, enjoyed their student years, and went to Panathinaikos games whenever they could.
After finishing his studies, Nick followed his siblings to the United States in search of better opportunities. He spent the 1970s working hard and saving money. In 1977, he returned to Greece, where a mutual friend introduced him to Fotini. They married that December and came back to the United States to begin their life together.
Their son, George, was born in 1980, and their daughter, Irene, in 1981. After opening his own accounting and real estate business with Fotini, Nick worked from home, stayed close to his family, and worked hard for them. He also helped support his parents back in Greece.
He took great pride in his children as they grew up, finished their studies, earned master’s degrees, and began their careers. He was happy when George married Maria Katelas and started a family of his own.
Greece was never far from Nick’s life. He returned every summer with his family and made a point of visiting different parts of the country. He wanted his children to know where he came from, not only through stories, but by being there.
That connection to Demati also shaped his work in the Greek-American community in Philadelphia. In the late 1970s, Nick revived the Demation Brotherhood of Philadelphia, filed its Articles of Incorporation, and later served the organization in several board roles.
He was also a longtime member and active parishioner of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Philadelphia. He gave his time to the parish and helped Philoptochos during the years when both Fotini and Irene served as president.
Nick kept working late into his life and stopped only when his health required it. People who knew him remember his humor, his easy smile, and the light teasing that was never meant to hurt. He was kind, generous, and present for the people around him.
Family and friends may pay their respects on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 256 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Laurel Hill East Cemetery in Philadelphia.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Nick’s memory may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral.