Nondas Dratsiotis

It is with great sadness that the Dratsiotis family announces the death of their loved one, Nondas Dratsiotis, who passed away on October 15, 2022, at the age of sixty-eight. He was born on September 24,1954 to Greek parents in the country of Hungary. He was the second of three children. In 1969, his family immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, USA. While he lived there, he learned English and spent time with family and friends. He loved watching television, sports, dance, and music, particularly Greek.

In 1977 he moved to Santa Barbara, California to continue his education, employment at Delco Electronics and he also met the love of his life, Martha. In 1982, he married in the Catholic Church first in California, and in 1985, he remarried to Martha in the Orthodox Church in his parents’ hometown, Naousa, Greece.

He started his married life in Torrance, CA, where he also began his employment at TRW. In 1989 he and his wife moved to Riverside, CA. Two years later, their one and only child, Nicholas, was born and continued to reside in the same address until his passing. He and his immediate family have enjoyed visiting friends and relatives in the East Coast and Greece as well as wonderful vacations together and with friends locally, nationally, and internationally.

Nondas worked for TRW and Northrop Grumman, NG, for 30+ years. In the beginning of his career, as an Associate Engineer, he supported the electronic production and testing of Payload equipment for various space programs both critical for our National Security such as Milstar, Low and Medium Data Rate satellite communication payloads and Advanced Extremely High Frequency communication payloads among other systems. Later in his career, based on his extensive manufacturing and production experience, he moved into Northrop Grumman’s Space Quality Assurance organization where he assumed responsibility for inspecting and certifying the flight worthiness of critical components for various key NG Space Satellite programs. He retired in 2015 to golf, travel, rest, take care of his health and spend more time with family. His last international trip was immediately after his retirement, and he and his wife visited Germany, Austria, and Greece all within a five-week period.

Nondas was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church at St. Katherine in Redondo Beach as well as Prophet Elias in San Bernardino, CA. Aside from being a parishioner, he joined the Young Adults and Dance groups at St. Katherine. While attending Prophet Elias, he served at various times in the Parish Council holding the positions of Treasurer, Vice President, and President. He also assisted in the various fund-raising events for the Parish throughout the years including being the Annual Greek Food Festival Chairman. He gladly volunteered for whatever needs the Parish had.

In 2000, he joined the Order of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, AHEPA, Arrowhead Chapter 302 in San Bernardino, CA, which falls under AHEPA, El Camino Real District 20. From 2016 to 2020, he held two positions at the district level: Warden and Secretary. He attended Chapter and District meetings to plan or disperse information on events, such as the Mid Winter, District, National and Supreme Conferences/Conventions. In 2019, he and his wife attended the District and Supreme Conventions in Chandler AZ and Chicago, Illinois, respectively.

He was a member of the Inland Golf Association for over two decades. He participated in weekly golfing and midyear, and end of the year tournaments in the Inland Empire as well as Nevada and Utah. On one occasion, he was the golfer of the year, and his name appears on the trophy which he kept for the entire year he won. In 2015, again he was a contender for the best golfer of the year, however, he withdrew from the competition because the dates for playing interfered with his trip to Europe. Hewould take his wife and son wherever he would golf with IGA. He had the opportunity to golf on his own in Cabo San Jose in Baja California and in Saalfelden, Austria. After his retirement he also joined a golf club at General Old Golf Course near his home where he would golf twice a week and every other Saturday. Golf was his passion.

His wife Martha, his son Nicholas, his older brother Vasilios (Yiannis and Bobby nephews), his sister Ekaterini (Athena and George niece and nephew) and his two constant friends George Delegas and Kostas Makrygiannis whom he regarded both as brothers survived him.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AchesonandGraham.com for the DRATSIOTIS family.