Nicholas John Dombalis II

Nicholas “Nick” John Dombalis II passed away peacefully at his home the morning of Saturday, October 17 enveloped in the love of his family. He was born on June 17, 1950 in Raleigh, a town he loved, to Floye Lee Dombalis and the late John Nicholas Dombalis.

Nick was a proud graduate of Saint Christopher’s School and Hampden-Sydney College. He received his Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University in 1975. Go Deacs! He dedicated his life to serving families and communities. Nick began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Wake County. In 1980, he joined the law firm that later became Nicholls & Crampton, where he was a partner until his death. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, as a member of the Board of Directors of Interact, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Raleigh Jaycees for his service to the community. Nick was a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the Tenth Judicial District Bar, the Wake County Bar Association, and the North Carolina Bar Association. He served three terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the Wake County Bar Association and nine years as a State Bar Councilor. He cherished the many friendships he formed during those years.

Nick took great pride in his Greek heritage. He loved spending hours cooking for his family and enjoying his Mom’s avgolemono, desserts, and meatballs. From the time he was a boy, he spent countless hours at the family’s Mecca Restaurant, which he loved because he could visit with friends. He never met a stranger.

Nick was exceedingly kind to everyone. He was a great storyteller with an infectious laugh and phenomenal sense of humor. He always put others' needs first, devoted himself to his family, and was a faithful servant to God. He loved and was loved by so many.

Nick fought a valiant battle with MDS and met each challenge with courage and relentless determination beyond comparison. The family is grateful to the medical and nursing team at Duke Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinic for their years of treatment and support and most importantly to his son John for donating stem cells that gave Nick two and a half additional years of life.

Nick would put aside anything to do everything for his family. His love and kindness will be carried forward by wife Melissa Smith Dombalis of Raleigh; mother Floye Lee Dombalis of Raleigh; children and grandchildren Helen Dombalis and Bill and Vivian Eubanks of Chapel Hill; Anna, Eric, Teddy, and Henry Roberts of Mooresville; Caroline Dombalis and Logan Baltozer of Asheville; John Dombalis of Raleigh; Stratford, Ashley, Stratford, and Hadley Donnell of Raleigh; and Holli, Rob, Taylor, Connor, and Elizabeth Myers of Davidson; sister Mary and brother-in-law Jeff Winstead of Raleigh; and brother Paul Dombalis of Kure Beach; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Joanna and John Mills of Wake Forest. He is also beloved by nieces and nephews John P. Dombalis, Jackie Mills, Adam Winstead, Mary Scott Winstead, Layman Spainhour, and Reeves Spainhour, and many aunts and cousins. In Nick’s memory, his family will continue ghost crabbing, fishing, swimming at Topsail Beach, playing tennis, spades, and charades, pulling pranks, blowing bubbles, hosting Derby parties, dancing, singing, cooking Greek food, making blueberry pancakes, and being present, grateful, and kind.

A funeral will be held Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 am with immediate family only. The service will be livestreamed; go to the Brown-Wynne Funeral Home’s website or www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/raleigh-nc/nicholas-dombalis-9855745 for information on the virtual service. Following the service, all are welcome to the burial and interment at Historic Oakwood Cemetery with masks and social distancing. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Be The Match at BeTheMatchFoundation.org/goto/NickDombalis, Christ Church at ccral.org/give/memorial-honorarium/, or the organization of one’s choice.