Bill Mandelos

Bill was born on January 1, 1944, in Pano Episkopi, a Greek village in Southern Albania. His mother, Penelope, changed Bill’s birthday due to a school requirement, so it was celebrated each year on Valentine’s Day. When Bill was a toddler, the family moved to Greece where they remained until emigrating to the United States when Bill was 13 years old.

Bill grew up with a strong sense of family, deeply rooted in their Greek and Albanian heritage. He was born the eldest of two children to parents Vlasis Mandelos and Penelope Parandelis. According to Bill, his mother took him and younger brother Nick to museums and ancient monuments where they learned about Greek history. The brothers attended private school in Athens, where Bill played soccer daily. The family spent summers enjoying beautiful surroundings in the mountains or at the beach, often renting a villa in Nea Ionia, a northern suburb of Athens.

A talented artist, Bill loved to draw on Sundays, recalling that he and his brother Nick used to sit on the floor and draw. Raised as Greek Orthodox, Bill ate traditional dishes including Tiropita (cheese pie) and Spanakopita (spinach pie), prepared by his mother. Bill’s first job as a young man was for a telegraph company in Greece delivering messages.

Bill recalled arriving in the United States by TWA Airlines at Idlewild Airport, now JFK International Airport. The Mandelos’ lived in Manhattan for a few years before settling in Astoria, Queens. Bill loved living in Queens and remained there until his passing. Bill attended P.S. 17 junior high school in Long Island City and Charles Evan Hughes High School in Manhattan. His favorite subject was science. Bill worked in the cosmetics industry for many years as a Chemical Batch Maker creating perfumes, skincare, and body products.

In his twenties, Bill married Ann Lenora Delio of Brooklyn, New York and daughter Georgianna was born in 1969. The family lived in Flushing, Queens and Georgianna was the apple of their eye, bringing much happiness.

Years later, Bill met Judith Mona Rhin (Judy) and a great love story began. Bill and Judy also lived in Flushing, Queens and were inseparable for more than five decades. Marrying in 1984, they were always surrounded by children – his, hers, and ours. They took great joy in raising Judy’s first-born son, John Prudente. Bill and Judy were thrilled in 1984 to welcome their son, Stefan Mandelos. With Georgianna and the boys, they formed a loving blended family.

When asked, Bill has said his favorite thing was bringing his children home from the hospital and then taking them to the park when they were older, passing along his love of nature and outdoors. Bill’s parenting philosophy was that his children would not remember him for material things he provided but for memories of being loved and treasured.

Bill is reunited in eternal peace with his loving wife Judy (d. 2020) and parents Penelope (d. 1993) and Vlasis (d. 1999) and brother Nick (d. 2019). His family was his greatest treasure. Bill was a loving and devoted father to Georgianna Dente and her husband Sergio, Stefan Mandelos and his wife Angela, and John Prudente and his wife Aisha. He was a proud and adoring grandfather to Theo and Gabriella. Bill is also survived by his nephew, Nick Mandelos, who describes his uncle as a father figure.

Bill will be remembered for his funny “Dad” jokes and prankster nature as well as his love affair with food – be it his mother’s Greek dishes, a big bowl of antipasto, his wife’s mac-n-cheese or any kind of gooey dessert. Bill’s passing leaves a void that cannot be filled, but his legacy of love and devotion to family will live on in in all who knew him.

Rest in peace Dad, husband, grandfather, and friend. You will be deeply missed and forever loved.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Frederick Funeral Home in Flushing, Queens, New York.

Funeral Mass will be held at 9:30 am on Friday, May 16, 2025, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, Queens, New York. Burial will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York.

To Those I Love

If I should ever leave you whom I love

To go along the Silent Way,

Grieve not,

Nor speak of me with tears,

But laugh and talk

Of me as if I were beside you there.

I‘d come – I‘d come, could I but find a way!

But would not tears and grief be barriers?

And when you hear a song or

See a bird I loved,

Please do not let the thought of me be sad

For I am loving you just as I always have.

You were so good to me!

There are so many things I wanted still

To do – so many things to say to you.

Remember that I did not fear,

It was just leaving you that was so hard to face.

We cannot see Beyond,

But this I know

I loved you so,

T'was Heaven here with you!