George T. Mannos Sr.

Mannos, George T. Sr. age 91, devoted husband for 64 years of Demetra nee Liapes; loving father of Thomas (Denise), Steven (Ellen), George T. Jr. (Karen) and James (Karen); loving brother of the late Dr. Nicholas T. (Dena) Mannos; Dear grandfather of Steven, Dea (Thomas) Hughes, John, Marissa (Alex) Adams, Christopher, Jake and Emily; Great grandfather of Anastasia Adams and Zoe Hughes; World War II Veteran; Former president of Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church Parish Council. In lieu of flowers donations to the Reverend William S. Chiganos scholarship fund would be appreciated. Visitation Sunday from 3-8 pm at Chapel Hill Gardens West Funeral Home, 17W201 Roosevelt Road (Roosevelt Rd. just west of Rt. 83) Oakbrook Terrace IL. Funeral Monday with a visitation from 9:30 am at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, 2501 South Wolf Road, Westchester IL, until time of service at 10:30 am. Interment Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery. For more information, please call us at 630-941-5860.

George T. Mannos was born in Chicago on October 16, 1920 at Mercy Hospital. He grew up on the south side of Chicago and graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1939. He attended Wilson Junior College for two years. His family owned a small grocery store on the north side of Chicago. In 1932 at the age of 12, he and his mother and younger brother Nicholas, moved to Greece for 9 months. While there, he was enrolled in a grammar school in Tripolis, before returning to America in April 1933. In the summer of 1933, at the age of 13, he was a food vendor during the Century of Progress World’s Fair.

He joined the Army Air Corp during World War II, and was stationed in Salisbury on the Plain, England, and served as a cook in an aircraft depot. He was in England during the German air raids and V-2 rocket attacks. He witnessed the allied aircraft heading for France for the invasion at Normandy.

After the war, he returned to Chicago. He was introduced to Demetra Liapes by their (future) Koumbaro, John P. Graven. George and Demetra were married on January 25, 1948, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 59th and Peoria. They settled in the Chatham neighborhood, where they shared a 3 flat building with his mother and father, and brother and sister-in-law. George and Demetra had 4 sons, Thomas, Steven, George, Jr., and James, before relocating to LaGrange Park in 1954.

George worked for the Silvercup Bread Company and the Cosmopolitan Linen Company. In 1952, He decided that he wanted to go into business for himself, and with $5000.00 he borrowed from his aunt (Thia Vako) purchased a grocery store at 26th and St. Louis, The 26th Street Food Mart.

During his career as an independent grocer, George was president of Grocerland Foods Co-op, for many years. He was one of the founders of the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, and became the president of the parish council from 1963 to 1966. During this time, the church purchased land in Westchester and built the church at its present location at 2501 Wolf Road.

George sold the grocery store and retired in 1978. He came out of retirement in 1982 to help his sons with a business venture. George invested in a restaurant with his sons, and began working part time at The Exchequer Restaurant and Pub at 226 S. Wabash Avenue, in Chicago.

George’s father, Thomas, owned a pool hall in 1910, one block south of where the Exchequer is located.

The Mannos family has maintained a Chicago business license since 1910. To the present day, George’s sons are walking the same street that their father and grandfather walked before them.