Stergios G. Karpetis

Stergios George Karpetis November 12, 1939 to December 1, 2020

Stergios was born into a family of farmers in a small Greek Village called Alistrati in a part of Greece known as Serres. His Parents, George and Melodia, had four children (Stergios, Paraskevi, Chrisostomos, and Niko). He was proud of his service in the Greek Air Force. The economy in Greece was not strong after he was discharged from the Air Force. He took what little he had and made his way to America in the 1960's as a Tailor for Botony 500 in Philadelphia. He sent what money he made back home to help support his family.

 He was able to make a couple of trips back home and in January 1973 he wed his lovely bride of nearly 48 years, Lela (Topalis). In 1974, Lela and their first-born son, George, were able to join him in America. They lived in various apartments in Phialdelphia as Stergios worked in restaurants and later owned a hot dog cart near Temple University Hospital. During the next several years, they welcomed a second son, Fotis (Evdokia), and daughter, Melodianna (Anthony). By 1977, Stergios was able to buy his first home in Upper Darby. This is where he raised his family for the next thirty plus years. In 1990, he sold his hot dog cart and was able to upgrade to a lunch truck. He worked on the lunch truck with his wife for the next 15 years until he had a stroke in 2005 that forced him to retire.

 He kept busy in retirement with gardening being one of his favorite hobbies. He moved to Broomall in 2010 with his family where he was able to expand his garden to what the family refered to as his farm. The larger garden space allowed him to finally get the tractor that he always wanted. It was a lawn tractor and not a big deal for most people. To him it was a really big deal because when he was working the family farm in Greece, a tractor meant you finally made it. He spent the next several years watching his family expand by welcoming daughter in law, Evdokia and son in law, Anthony. Then grandchildren: Evangelia, Lela, Yianni, Twins Stergios & Dimitrios, and Alexandros Stergios. His grandchildren were the light of his life in his later years.

In 2018, he had to have cardiac surgery and an infection led to complications, more surgeries, strokes, and dialysis. He overcame whatever came his way throughout his life and especially the last few years. He was making great progress and was leading a good life considering what he had been through. Unfortunately, a Covid infection was a little more than his tired body could fight against. He went to be with God on December 1, 2020. May he rest in peace.

Family and friends are invited to view 11am Thursday December 10, 2020 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 30 E. Forge Road, Media, PA 19063. Funeral service to begin at 12 noon. Interment to follow in Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Springfield, PA.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations, in Stergios's name, be made to the church. 

There is a 50 person max capacity in the church at any one time. Masks are required to enter the church and must be worn throughout your entire stay. Social distancing is required. Thank you for helping us to continue to provide safe funeral services in the church. 

Click on the link below to livestream Stergios's Funeral Service.

https://youtu.be/Ynm5KXJ6Ycs

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