Vasilios F. Voutsakis, a Greek-American veteran who bravely served in the Korean War, passed away on March 30, 2024, at the age of 97. Born in 1927 in Wilmington, Delaware, to Greek immigrants Fotios Voutsakis and Kokoni Narlis, Vasili endured profound hardship and displacement in his youth.
In the mid-1930s, Vasili emigrated to Greece with his mother while his father remained in America to work. There, his brother Efthimios (Mike) was born shortly before World War II erupted. Vasili, his mother, and his brother survived the brutal German occupation and famine that ravaged Athens from 1941 to 1944. Owing to Vasili’s American citizenship, the family was able to return to the United States in 1945, reuniting with his father in the Bronx before settling in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Just a few years after his harrowing exodus from war-torn Greece, Vasili honorably answered the call of duty, drafted into the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War from 1950 to 1952. As a member of the 45th Infantry Division’s 179th Regiment, he took up defensive positions along the 38th parallel, engaging North Korean and Chinese forces with unwavering courage.
Upon his return, Vasili embarked on a new chapter, marrying his beloved Eleni Lambrou in 1953 and raising a family. An active member of the Greek-American community, he joined AHEPA in 1954, serving as president of the Chester-Delco Chapter in the 1970s. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Chester and the VFW Eleftheria Post 6633 of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
Vasili was the devoted husband of Eleni Voutsakis, who predeceased him in 2020. He is survived by his sons Frank (wife Valerie) and Nicholas (wife Toula); his brother Efthimios; grandchildren Vasilios P., Ellen M., Philip, Christos, Ariana, Evanthia, Andreas, and Athena; and great-grandson Nicholas.
The funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Media, Pennsylvania, where relatives and friends may call after 10 AM. Burial will follow at Philadelphia Memorial Park.
Instead of flowers, contributions in Vasili’s memory may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church, the AHEPA Chester-Delco Chapter of St. George, or the VFW Eleftheria Post 6633 of Upper Darby.