Mino T Gikas

Mino T. Gikas, 82, of Portland passed away Wednesday October 12, 2011 in Portland. He was born February 25, 1929 in Cumberland, RI, a son of the late Themistocles and Mary (Gules) Gikas. Mino grew up in Biddeford Maine, attended Biddeford Schools where he played football until his senior year of high school when the family moved to Portland. It wasn’t long before he joined the football team for Portland, but his heart was still wishing he could have finished at Biddeford high. After watching him play, Ken Long, the sports announcer for WGAN, named him the "Golden Greek". Although he wasn’t that tall, he caught many passes and his running ability scored quite a few touchdowns. Later he became an ardent New York Giants fan. Mino was a great lover of all kinds of music and loved dancing. At Armenian and Italian dances he became a center of attraction and he also won many jitterbug contests. He loved to joke with family and friends and he often started debates on religion and politics where he then would walk away with a grin while the debates got hot. Mino met and married the love of his life Alexandra Talleos in 1956. With their deep faith in the Lord their life became complete with the birth of their four children. Mino owned the Valco Variety on the corner of Congress and Valley St with Spiro Christie for twenty years. . He was a member of the Portland Eagles Club for over 30 years. Mino was a beloved member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and served on the Parish council for years. He was an active member of AHEPA for fifty years, serving two terms as District Governor. Mino’s greatest joy was being with his family. He was devoted to his wife and children and to his large extended family.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years Alexandra Gikas; his children: Steve Gikas and his wife Traci, Helen Huntley, Matthew Gikas and his wife Suzanne and Mary Morelli; his sister Anna Callahan and husband Bob, 8 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren as well as numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

Relatives and friends are invited to a time of visitation 5-8 pm Friday October 14, 2011 at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home 199 Woodford St. where at 7:00 pm the Trisagion Service will be conducted. A Funeral Service will be held 11 am Saturday, October 15, 2011 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Pleasant St. Portland, with Rev. Constantine Saranditis. Interment will follow at Forest City Cemetery South Portland. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations may be made in Mino’s name to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Mino’s guestbook.