Peter George Gerontakis

On December 16, 2025, Peter Gerontakis completed a journey that began for him 96 years ago and took him to four of the earth’s seven continents. Leaving this world, “Pete” as everyone knew him, then embarked on his greatest journey, a journey that has now taken him to be with the Lord in His Heavenly kingdom.

Pete has now been reunited in Heaven with his parents, George and Panayota Gerontakis, along with an older brother, Niko, a sister who died in an accident when she was very young, and Pete’s younger brother, Spiro.

In addition to a long list of friends, Pete leaves behind numerous loving family members: Pete’s wife of 66 years - Louise, Son - George (Rhiann), Three grandchildren - Sophia, Peter, and Grace, One great-grandchild - Laney, Two sisters, Thodoroula and Eleni.

Pete and Louise also served as godparents to many children in Birmingham’s Greek community, including Ted Hontzas, Margaret Sarris Smith, and Sherri Sepsas where Louise served as sponsor when Sherri adopted the Greek Orthodox faith and whom Pete walked down the aisle when Sherri was married in the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Cathedral in 2017.

Pete was born on April 21, 1929 in the small village of Tsitalia in the mountains of Greece’s Peloponnesos. He and his family suffered during the Italian and German occupation of Greece in the years of World War II and endured the equally horrific times of the Greek Civil War which began even before the guns of the world war went silent.

After completing his compulsory military service in Greece, Pete resolved to find a better life in America. He immigrated to the United States in 1957 and made his way to Birmingham to join the numerous immigrants from Greece who had settled in the area.

He met the woman who would accompany him on his life’s journey in 1958 while taking dance lessons at the Downtown YWCA, and the couple would marry in 1959.

While he had little formal education, Pete would put his fierce work ethic and his skills in the kitchen to work in achieving his dreams.

They both served him well.

From washing dishes and bussing tables in numerous cafes and restaurants in the area, Pete worked his way up through the ranks. He will be remembered for establishing some of the most well-known landmarks on Birmingham’s culinary landscape - the Smoke House Restaurant, Uncle Bud’s, Ritchie’s Barbecue, and the Merritt House on Highland Avenue.

Pete noted that one of the proudest moments of his life came in 1961 when Louise stood beside him at the Jefferson County Courthouse as he took the oath and was sworn in as a citizen of the United States.

In 1976 Pete and Louise traveled to Greece to complete their happiness as a family. They adopted a baby that they named George after Pete’s father. That baby became the light of their lives.

Pete was a member of the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Cathedral in Birmingham, volunteering often to bring his skill in the kitchen to assist at the annual Greek Festival and other events. Louise became a passionate member of the Ladies Philoptochos Society where she served for many years in different capacities. Their philanthropy in the Birmingham community and in Pete’s village in Greece continued throughout Pete’s life.

Pete’s love for the mountains led him on quite a few remarkable journeys over the course of his lifetime. In February 1999, at age 70, he stood on one of the seven summits of the world when he and his fellow adventurers climbed to 19,343 feet to the top of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Later that year he stood at 14,440 feet on the summit of Mount Elbert, the highest peak in the Colorado Rockies. Three years later he summited Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in his native Greece. Pete also completed the four-day trek through the Andes of South America to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Inca and now one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.”

Pete Gerontakis left his indelible mark in numerous fields, success in any one of which would be impressive - loving husband; doting father, grandfather and great-grandfather; successful businessman; and lifelong adventurer. Pete greatly enriched the lives of his family and those of us fortunate to have known him and called him “friend”.

While he will be greatly missed by those he has left behind, we take great comfort in knowing that Pete has safely arrived “home.”

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Visitation will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral followed by the Funeral Service at 11:00 am. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery.

Following the burial service, the family invites everyone to the Makaria Luncheon held in the Banquet Hall at the Cathedral.