Konstantinos "Dino" Sotirios Mantekas

Konstantinos Sotirios Mantekas, 65, passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family on July 29, 2024. He was born in Stenoma, Evritania, Greece in 1958. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sotirios Konstantinos Mantekas and Georgia Skenteris Mantekas, and is survived by his two children, Jessica Constance Mantekas and Sotirios (Steven) Konstantinos Mantekas, and their mother, Jean Mantekas. He is also survived by his sister, Faye Karanikas; his sister, Demetra Tassios; and his niece and nephews, Katerina Karanikas Estrada, George Karanikas, Hristos Karanikas, Sotirios Tassios, and Georgios Tassios.

Most people knew him as “Dino”, but everyone knew him as one of a kind.

Dino immigrated to the United States at the age of 15 with his parents and sisters in 1973. Prior to that, he studied electrical engineering in Greece and was very proud of his educational background. When he came to this country he worked tirelessly to make a living, support his family, and achieve success. Dino’s work ethic was unmatched, but he also had a vision for what he wanted to achieve in life, and it was his determination, kindness, charisma, and intellect that enabled him to become a successful and self-made entrepreneur at a young age.

Dino loved and respected his home country of Greece, but he was also a true American patriot and was extremely proud to be a United States citizen. He believed in ancient Greek philosophy, but was also a “hardline conservative” who valued capitalism, education, the military, and the U.S. Constitution.

Everyone who knew Dino loved his contagious laugh, his infectious energy, and his genuine heart. They also knew him as a golfer (his all-time favorite hobby), a passionate clarinet player and traditional Greek music enthusiast. He loved his children, the love of his life (Jeannie), and his family to the core, but also had an enormous impact in both the Greek and Matthews/Mint Hill communities and made thousands of friends along the way. He constantly shared stories, told jokes, and celebrated the good times. He was proud to have established the long-standing Fireside Restaurant, to have been a member of Pine Lake Country Club for decades, and to have impacted the lives of so many people. Dino especially loved both the elderly and the youth, and always supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital throughout the years.

Dino shared his love of golf with his children and was extremely proud of his son, Steven, for becoming a head golf professional. He was also proud and honored to have taught Steven how to play the game of golf, and wholeheartedly supported his natural talent until the day he died. Dino was also incredibly proud of his daughter, Jessica, for becoming an attorney and was honored to have instilled the values of knowledge and education in her.

Dino was known as charismatic, fun-loving, and carefree, however he was often misunderstood because he valued his privacy and dignity. His mind and his depth were immense, which may have only been appreciated by those who truly recognized him for the unique, intelligent, and fearless man that he was.

We encourage all of those who knew Dino to keep his legacy alive by sharing your stories, experiences, and memories about him. He always said that the purpose of life is to “achieve happiness and love” (Aristotle), and we know for certain that he can rest in peace having accomplished just that.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 t0 5:00pm on Saturday, August 3, 2024 at McEwen Funeral Service Mint Hill Chapel 7428 Matthews Mint Hill Road Mint Hill, NC 28227. A private family gathering will follow at 5:00pm at Pine Lake Country Club 5504 Lebanon Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227.

Online condolences and messages for the family may be offered at www.mcewenminthillchapel.com.