Peter Charles Kapetanakos

Peter, the son of Charles and Catherine Kapetanakos, was born on July 1, 1936 in Abbeville, South Carolina, and spent most of his formative years there. He attended Emory University, graduating in 1958 with a BA Degree in Biology. Though he had known them since childhood, it was at Emory that Peter became lifelong friends with his cousin Chris Kapetanakos and his roommate Tom Siachos, but more importantly, where he met his beloved wife, Betty Routsos. Betty and Peter started dating in 1954, and were married on August 30, 1959, having celebrated their 50th anniversary on in Athens, Greece and Rome, Italy in 2009.

In 1958, Peter began serving in the United States Marines; six months in active duty and 5 years active reserve.

After graduating from Emory, Peter attended the University of Georgia Pharmacy School, graduating in 1961. Shortly thereafter, he and Betty returned to the Atlanta area, where they opened K’s Drugs in Jonesboro. Behind the counter of his pharmacy, Peter would dispense a daily dose of jokes and banter with every prescription he filled.

Until he sold in 1995 – known as “Dr. K” to his customers, K’s Drug had become an important part of the community with an old-fashion soda fountain where friends and customers gathered and socialized over hot coffee, grits and eggs for breakfast, hot lunches and afternoon milkshakes. “It reminds them of when they were growing up” Peter would say. “Some of the people who’ve grown up at our fountain now bring their own children here.”

Everybody knew Dr. K, and he knew 95% of the customers that walked into K’s Drug by their first names. He really enjoyed working with people and wasn’t someone who just sat behind the counter and dispensed medicine, he spoke to people, and they knew him.

It wasn’t unusual for Peter to get calls in the middle of the night and have to go to the drugstore and get medicine for somebody, but he was an amazing person and did not mind doing it.

Peter never had a bad word to say about anyone, he was kind, loyal and extremely generous. If he was a friend of yours, you knew you had a friend for life and that he would always be there for you. Most of his customers repaid Peter’s loyalty by following him to CVS, where he worked in his retirement years. They knew that his kind smile and service was a modern-day rarity.

Peter was an avid golfer, and was a Charter Member of Eagles Landing Country Club, where he got his one and only hole-in-one, and where he and Betty enjoyed social events and sometimes played golf together.

Survivors other than his wife Betty of fifty-four years include; Chris Kapetanakos and family of Greenville, Peter Kapetanakos of Greenville and family, Carl and Gail Ossipoff of Newport Beach, CA and family, Frank and Penelope Burkard of Pasadena, CA and family and aunt Bessie Stavrakes of La Habra, CA.

Funeral service will be Saturday, November 30, 2013 at 11 o’clock at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation with an interment to follow at Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, November 30, 2013 from 12 noon until 3 o’clock at H. M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill, with a prayer service at 1 o’clock in the chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, Atlanta, GA. Online condolences may be made hmpattersonspringhill.com.