Campbell…Funeral services will be held Friday at 10:00 a.m. at St. John Orthodox Church, with Fr. Steve Denas officiating, for Sakellarios Atsas, 89, who passed away Monday morning in his home.

Sakellarios was born Sept. 15, 1927 in Kalymnos, Greece, the son of Nikolas and Maria Pastrikos Atsas and came to the United States in 1970.

Sakellarios worked many years as a Merchant Mariner in Greece prior to immigrating to the United States with his family in search of a better life.

He found economic opportunity as a Painter at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube which also allowed the family to establish a sense of belonging within the Greek-American community of Campbell, Ohio.

He was a member of Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church and the Kalymian Society.

He was a devoted husband and loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved him dearly and are forever grateful for his perseverance and dedication to his family.

Sakellarios leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Maria Passas Atsas, whom he married in Kalymnos, Greece, the summer of 1947; children, Nick (Popi) Atsas of Campbell, Irene Malactaris of Campbell, Poppi (Sakellarios)    Hatzis of Australia, Cleio (John) Pastrikos of Campbell, Terry (Drosos) Atsas of Australia, and Phillip (Irene) Atsas of Campbell; seventeen grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Nikolas and Maria.

The Atsas family has entrusted their loved one to the care of the Wasko Funeral Home and will receive family and friends on Thursday evening from 5 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

To you Pappou:  You could not have been more loving, caring or heartwarming than what you already were, nor could you have been a better father and grandfather. You stood by us all through thick and thin, loved us unconditionally and showed us right from wrong. No matter the distance that was sometimes between us, you were always beside us and so you shall now be from heaven. You may be gone, but your spirit will live forever and you will never be forgotten. We are all grateful for you; for that we got to love you and care for you as you always so tenderly did for us. So if this is our final goodbye, we love you Pappou, always have and always will – may you rest peacefully as heaven has gained another angel.