William Pappas

William was born on August 15, 1935, in Kalavryta, Greece, to his mother, Sophia Andrikopoulou. At the age of 15, he was adopted by Theodore and Helen Pappas, who brought him home to Sherman, Texas, where he attended and graduated from Sherman High School.

On February 23, 1958, William married the love of his life, Cindy, in Athens, Greece. The couple returned to Sherman to begin their life together and were blessed with three daughters: Helen (Don), Teddie (Neil), and Holly. In 1979, the family moved to the Houston area, where William would spend the rest of his life.

William had a lifelong passion for sports. He played football in high school and, though he never had a son of his own, he proudly volunteered as a coach for Little League baseball and youth soccer. An all-around athlete, he enjoyed softball, poker, dominoes, and was an award-winning bowler. His devotion to Texas high school football was legendary, and he was an unwavering Aggies fan whose love of the team inspired two of his granddaughters to attend Texas A&M University.

Known for his sharp mind, William had a deep love of geography, history, and politics, along with an uncanny ability to recall sports statistics at a moment's notice. He carried his Greek heritage with him always, cherishing the language, traditions, and memories of the homeland where he was born. Just as proudly, he loved the country that had welcomed him as a boy, and he remained a deeply patriotic American all his life, grateful for the opportunities this country gave him and his family. He made friends wherever he went, greeted the world with a smile, and was loved by all who crossed his path.

William was blessed with six grandchildren: Brandon, Alicia, Madison, Rebecca, William, and Brooke. He also leaves behind four great-grandchildren: Beckham, Mila, Jack, and Grace. Some of their most cherished memories are of swimming with Granddaddy and his legendary cannonballs, which never failed to make a splash.

William was preceded in death by his mother, Sophia, his adoptive parents Theo & Helen and his brother, Jimmy Pappas.

He is survived by Cindy, his beloved wife of 68 years; his three daughters and two sons-in-law, Don and Neil; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved him.

May his memory be eternal. Αιωνία του η μνήμη.