Theodore Papadopoulos

It was the spring of April 17, 1955.

All of Greece was celebrating Easter.

A seven-year-old albino Greek boy with piercing blue eyes and freckles lived in the town of Pyrgos, in northwestern Peloponnese, with his parents, Fotios and Sofia, and his three sisters.

There was no running water, indoor plumbing, or electricity. Homework was completed by candlelight or the glow of a kerosene lamp. He bathed in a trough warmed by the sun and served as an altar boy in his local church.

He flew kites with his father and stained his white kid-leather shoes with grass while playing soccer with his friends. The shoes were handmade by his father, a skilled cobbler who, as a young man, crafted Bruno Magli shoes from start to finish for countless customers.

On April 29, 1960, he emigrated to New York, arriving by ship with his 42-year-old father. They lived with his uncle's family in Hell's Kitchen for four months. His mother, Sofia, and his four sisters joined them on August 4, 1960, also arriving by ship.

He attended school in the South Bronx before moving to Chelsea, where he enrolled at Hunter College. There, he studied art, architecture, and French, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree.

From 1965 to 1971, his family of seven lived in the middle-income housing projects at 415 West 25th Street in New York City.

On September 6, 1971, he married his college sweetheart, Helen Katsandres, and moved to Astoria, Queens. Over the years, he also lived in Flushing and Old Bethpage, New York.

He became the proud father of three children and later experienced the unconditional love of his four grandchildren: Katerina, Dean, Avraam, and Elenadora.

During his college years, he was an advocate for democracy and participated in protests against the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.

For more than five decades, he purchased, remodeled, and managed real estate on behalf of friends and family. The SoFo Tower condominium project, consisting of 26 units and accomplished alongside his three sisters, stands as a testament to his determination, tireless work ethic, and vision. It reflects the values instilled in him by his parents, who left their beloved Greece and arrived in America with five young children—the youngest only eight months old—without money and without knowledge of the English language.

He sang and danced to the melodies of his bouzouki, proudly celebrating Greece, the country of his birth, while always expressing gratitude for the opportunities offered to him by his adopted homeland, America.

He was a gifted storyteller with a deep love for people, remarkable tolerance, and an unparalleled sense of humor. He extended a helping hand to anyone in need and never expected anything in return.

He will be deeply missed.

He often repeated the Greek phrase:

Τα περιττά δεν είναι απαραίτητα

"Superfluous things are not necessary."

Like the Moirai—the Fates of Greek mythology—

Clotho, the Spinner,

Lachesis, the Allotter, and

Atropos, the Cutter,

have rendered their decision.

The thread was cut on June 7, 2026, at 10:00 p.m., in Bed 4 of the Palliative Care Unit at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York.

Composed with love and remembrance by

Pagona Papadopoulos Valsamy

Oldest Sister

June 9, 2026

Visitation will be held at Frederick Funeral Home, 192-15 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11358, US, on June 11, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The Funeral Liturgy will take place at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church, 196-10 Northern Blvd, New York, NY 11358, US, on June 12, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

Interment will follow at Flushing Cemetery, 163-06 46th Ave, New York, NY 11358, US, on June 12, 2026, from 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm.