Dionisios Maroudas

Jul 14, 1940 -

Oct 29, 2021

How do you say goodbye? Dionisios Maroudas Oct. 29, 2021

With the heaviest of hearts our family would like to share our beautiful and strong daddy has fallen asleep.

Daddy was born July 14, 1940, in Kilomeno Zakynthos, Greece. His entire life was dedicated with so much love to his family, helping families and caring for our family groves and nature.

Daddy served in the Greek military as a chef and as an medical assistant to military surgeons, he grew organic orchards and brought his family to the US from Greece so we could work hard and achieve our dreams. He loved reading stories to us and his grandchildren, created many beautiful meals for friends at Pizza Olympia, became a proud American citizen, returned to Greece frequently to tend to our orchards and enjoy the warmth of the Ionian. Daddy produced the finest most nutritious olive oil for our Bambino's Baby Food products for our families to grow strong and stay healthy. We are thankful and overwhelmed with grief and will deeply miss his mustache kisses, bear hugs and strength. Our promise to our daddy, we will continue to follow your path of love, philanthropy, share our traditions with next generations and care for your groves as you did so tenderly together as a family. Thank you for all the beautiful memories. We love you our daddy, our rock, rest peacefully and may your loving memory be eternal. Now you and our beloved Dimitri are in each others arms.

We will love you forever! Your loving wife Athina, your children Georgios, Zoi, Andreas, Georgia, Sandy and your adoring grandchildren, Athina, Dionisios, Christina, Hristos, Dionisi, Constantino-Dimitrios and Athina-Katherina.

Heartfelt Tribute and poem from dear family friend:

Dionisios

Dionisios, Greek god of vegetation and fruit. Dionisios -husband to Athina, father of Dimetri, Georges, Zoi, grandfather to many. Dionisios, world traveller, restauranteur, farmer. Dionisios, hard work, loyal, caring, a risk-taker, definite.

Our family first met Dionisios and his family more than 30 years ago thru Pizza Olympia as have so many. Over the years, our families became close friends. In all that time, I never had a conversation with him beyond "How are you?" And "I don't know." But somehow words were not important in communicating with each other. When words were important, there was always one of his kids: Dimetri. Georges or Zoi.

(And by the way, these were his kids who went to school during the day and the worked much of the night, fitting in studying as they could.)

Dionisios did not need words to communicate. He communicated by doing or showing. Dionisios taught me and our family so many things.

-He taught me and our family: how to trust to fate, to brave the unknown. He packed up and came with his whole family and his father to a "new" world. A new world that is totally different from home in Zakinthos. And he and his family came only a few dollars in their pockets.

-He taught me and our family: how to adjust and settle into a new role in his "new world" in Alaska. How to be head of house at home but be more a helper at work in his and Athina's restaurant with his kids as he bowed to their schooling and his kids proficiency in English.

-He taught me and our family: how to make baklava, spanakopita and moussaka when Cindy and I would come help Dionisios and Athina prepare for the annual Christmas Day dinner at the restaurant for all their many, many, many friends. Dionisios was always patient but definite in what, how and when things were to be done. Thank you!

-He taught me and our family how not to separate life by location as the restaurant became home and home the restaurant as our families grew up together -playing hide-n'seek, "stinky-feet", sharing, studying together when we would visit the restaurant.

-He taught me and our family about love of the land and never losing touch one's roots as a farmer. Somehow the Maroudas' olive oil grown in Greece and served in Alaska always made the food so exceptionally special and made us always ready to come back for more.

-Finally he taught me and my family the importance of love of and responsibility to family.

-Many years ago, I went one night to visit "Grandpa", Dionisios's father, who came to Alaska with the family. Grandpa was in Providence "near the end". I went to see if he/they needed anything as I worked at the hospital. Dionisios and Grandpa were the only ones there that night as I am sure everyone else in the Marudas' family was busy in the restaurant. Dionisios, Grandpa who did not speak English and me who did not speak Greek. For several hours the three of us sat: Dionisios on one side, me on the other and Grandpa in bed in the middle. We sat silent, holding hands. I am not sure why exactly but somehow Grandpa recovered and lived another three years. But somehow I am sure that the simple sitting holding hands had something to do with his recovery. So finally, Dionisios showed me a different dimension of love, devotion and how simple acts of caring can make all the difference.

Thank you Dionisios. Go with God. Newton, Cindy, Heather, Teal and Emilie.

Dear friends, there was a funeral service held at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church on Nov. 4, 2021. The 40 Day Memorial Service was held at St. Innocence Russian Orthodox Church on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021.