Steve Agapion

Stephen Agapion passed away peacefully on December 30, 2018, after spending the Christmas season with his loving family by his side. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle and friend, and his loved ones will miss him dearly.

Steve was born February 24, 1932, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and given the Greek name Stavros. He was the son of Agapios Basil and Eleni Theodoros Agapion, both originally of Greece, and the younger brother of Bill and Katherine Agapion.

Steve moved to North Carolina when he was 5 years old and considered himself a North Carolinian, and, in particular, a Tar Heel. He grew up in Durham and Greensboro and completed his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

While stationed at Fort Bragg, he began dating the love of his life, Alice Harris, whom he married on February 8, 1959. They enjoyed more than 58 happy years of marriage and were the parents of Elaine, Daniel, Ashley and Michelle, as well as the grandparents of 10 grandchildren who range in age from 9 to 29. Sadly, he lost Alice when she passed away on November 17, 2017, but we believe they are reunited in Heaven now.

As the patriarch of the family, Steve was a compassionate and generous father and grandfather. We always knew we could go to him for advice and count on him to help when needed. He led by example and provided stability for his family through his guidance, encouragement and support. He was a caring and genuine man who was loyal to his family and instilled family values.

UNC Rams Club members for more than 50 years, Steve and Alice rarely missed a home Carolina football or basketball game and traveled to many away games, including numerous Final Fours and a basketball tournament in Greece. They also attended as many of their children's and grandchildren's sports events as possible, as well as other events.

Steve's lifelong love of sports began at an early age when he would sneak into the YMCA to play basketball. He was an outstanding youth athlete excelling in football, basketball and baseball and received multiple athletic and academic awards. He also played the violin as a child.

He graduated from Greensboro High School in 1950, where he was class president his sophomore and junior years. While in high school, he participated in sports, but also developed a love of dancing. His high school superlative was "The Jitterbug King." He entered numerous dance exhibitions and won several dance competitions in the early 1950s. We love hearing stories about the summers he spent in Myrtle Beach, lifeguarding during the day and dancing at night, in the early days of beach music and the Carolina shag.

After attending UNC from 1950 – 1956, Steve served in the U.S. Army from 1956 – 1960 and in the reserves until 1963. He was commissioned as first lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG) and reached the rank of captain before his honorable discharge.

He started playing golf while in the Army, and it became an important part of his life and the lives of his family members. Steve was a member of MacGregor Downs Country Club in Cary from 1970 – 2018 and served as its president and chairman of the board in 1980. An avid golfer, he won several tournaments and maintained many friendships that flourished on the golf course.

Steve lived in Cary since 1971, where he was a real estate attorney. He was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh since 1970. He coached Little League baseball and basketball and supported Apex High School sports from the 1970s to 2000s.

Above all else, Steve was devoted to his family. His greatest accomplishment is the legacy of his family who adored him and appreciate his dedication. Called "Papou" or "Pou" in his later years, we can see traits that he passed along to all of us, such as a love of sports, music, dancing and reading. He will also be affectionately remembered for his calm disposition, kindness and subtle humor.

Steve and Alice established a wonderful foundation for our family, for which we will be forever grateful. We acknowledge and feel thankful for their positive influence on our lives.

Steve is predeceased by his wife, Alice Agapion; sister, Katherine Agapion; and parents, Agapios and Eleni Agapion.

He is survived by his daughter Elaine (Jonathan) Kennedy; son Daniel (Laura) Agapion; daughter Ashley Agapion; daughter Michelle (Dexter) Morgan; grandchildren Hunter, Theo and Chloe Bacot; Gabrielle, Stephanie and Nicholas Agapion; Jake and Aliki Magee; and Steven and Lily Morgan; his brother Bill (Sophia) Agapion and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

A visitation for Steve will be on Thursday, January 3 from 6 – 8 pm at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 5000 Lead Mine Road in Raleigh. Father Paul Christy will hold a Trisagion service at 6:30 pm. The funeral service will be Friday, January 4 at 1 pm at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church followed by burial at Historic Oakwood Cemetery and a Makaria meal at Casa Carbone.

The family wishes to thank his dedicated team of caregivers and healthcare providers who helped him and our family immensely, including Dr. Alexander Newman, Dr. Sameh Mobarek, Dr. David Millward, Ashworth Drugs, Paul Rowland, Alice Maina, Alice Mbouthia, Margaret Kefa and others.

We ask that donations in his memory go toward Apex High School Athletics (7600 Roberts Road, Cary, NC 27519) or Bryan Family YMCA Youth Sports (501 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401).

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.