My condolences to all family here.  I was a student at SCCC in the mid 80's and had the privilege of meeting and studying under Mr. Cakouros while taking karate there.  The lessons offered to me where barely understood until many years later.  After leaving for many years and returning to the area I sought to thank him for the investment he made in me.  Know what you gave to me is now passed on as my martial arts training continues to this day because of your invested time in your students.  I searched for you for years, hoping to express that gratitude in person someday and somewhere.  Rest peacefully...

Respectfully,
                            Dennis Buckley

As a fencing student at the YMCA I will always remember point first, foot work is everything, and break tempo. Good advice in more than just blade work.

Dear Mrs. Cakouras,
My deepest condolences on the passing of your husband Thomas. Mr. Cakouras was a principal at Centereach HS during my attendance and you were my teacher in 7th grade. However my brother Greg was a fencing student and had the pleasure of having you both as his coaches. He has many fond memories of you both.

I, too, have fond memories of your English class and I always admired the dedication you had to the students. His passing leaves a huge loss in the fencing world for young people. 

I wish you well during this sad time. 
Fondly,
Angelica Proios Torres

Mr. Cakouros was my history teacher in high school, and he was my favorite teacher. He taught us even more than was in our history books and created memories that have lasted my whole life. He had a great personality and was an outstanding teacher who I will always remember fondly.

I am saddened by Tom's passing. He inspired me to think, to work, to aim high, and to endure. And he inspired other kids too, a lot of other kids.  He was completely dedicated to the craft of education in classrooms, in activity offices, and on fencing strips, and, I learned, baseball fields. He was a rare, intelligent, and driven individual who knew instinctively how high a student's bar should be set, and when to raise it. His legacy lives on and it will continue to live on. 

Tom Cakouros was the Vince Lombardi of high school fencing. He was a genius, a mentor and a drill sergeant to fencers, pounding soft metal into hard steel.  Too often the phrase “He changed my life” is overused, but Coach Cakouros did just that for scores of teenagers. Early in my senior year, he took me into an office and asked about my college plans. I said, “Probably Suffolk Community.” Coach nearly dropped his pipe. He shook his head and said, “No, you’re going to NYU and you’re going to get a scholarship.” Mr. C had far more faith in me than I did. But sure enough, his plan came true. He seemed to be in our lives every day. During summers, my brother Herb and I rode bikes twice a week to Coach’s house in Port Jefferson Station for lessons, a round trip of 13 miles. (If only Newfield had a cycling team, too!) He worked us in the bowels of Newfield, where we would run wind sprints in a long, dark hall forgotten in time. (In fact, at the end of the hall were barrels of water and crackers from the Cold War Era.) On weekday nights, he gave us fencing lessons at a school in Ronkonkoma. On Sundays, he picked us up and drove us to fencing tournaments at some distant school off the Expressway while Sinatra played on the radio. His teams were always the best prepared and conditioned. I remember Mr. C taking the fencing team outside to run laps, but we came upon a baseball game that needed more players. He let us play even though it was hardball and we had no baseball gloves.  Mr. C talked with another coach, who was trying to get some pointers on how to train his kids to excel. As they looked on, a fencer made an amazing running catch, snaring a long line drive with just a bare right hand. The other coach looked stunned, as if Mr. C was producing Spartans who felt no pain. Mr. C produced champions and scholarship winners, and he made everybody overachieve. He was one of a kind and changed my life. And for that I’ll always be grateful.  Jim Mones, NHS Class of 1970

I’m a graduate of Centereach 77, I remember him always with a smile on his face and engaging with students. He truly cared for them all. May he Rest In Peace. My condolences to his wife and children!🙏🏼❤️ Jacqueline Siegrist Giannino

Tom was a fencing instructor like no other; the five of us siblings he taught have many great memories from his classes. He lived a long and full life, and he will be missed. En garde!

Tom was more than a teacher to me.  I suspect many of his fencers would agree.  For me, Tom was, together with his wonderful wife Ellen, a mentor from high school through my teaching and coaching career.  The both were like second parents to me.
  He was very intelligent, very strong willed, and a very determined leader.  I hope I gave my students and team members half of what he gave to us.  Bob Nelson

I extend my deepest sympathy to Mrs. Cakouros and all the family in their loss. Mr. Cakouros was both unique and unforgettable! He was truly erudite as a history teacher and Vice Principal at the Newfield and Centereach High Schools for more than 30 years, touching the lives of thousands of students. He was my World History teacher during my senior year at Newfield. To his influence and preparation--and those of other exceptional educators of the Middle County School District--I owe the New York State Regents Scholarship Award, which sustained my undergraduate education through four years at SUNY at Stony Brook (also known as "Stony Brook University"). Thank you, Mr. C., for your excellence as a teacher and dedication! Thank you for your service in the United States Army! A donation has been sent to the Best Friends Animal Society (which strives to make all U. S. shelters no-kill). -- Victoria-Ann Bonanni, NHS Class of 1970

I knew Mr.and Mrs. C  in Dawnwood and then Newfield very kind people. May he Rest In Peace 
Jim Tooker

Mr. Cakouros was my freshman Social Studies teacher in 1960, soon after Newfield High School opened.  He instilled in me a love of History, which became my college major and led me into a rewarding career in public service with the New York State Insurance Department.  One regret from my high school years is that I did not tryout for his fencing team.  I looked on as friends received excellent scholarships as a result of his coaching and their love of the sport.  Fortunately, one of his fencers and my friend, Bob Nelson, became the coach at Centereach and I told my younger brother to tryout for his team .  Sure enough, it led to a scholarship for him.  So many of his guys became coaches as a result of his leadership.  A tremendous teacher and coach!  RIP Mr. Cakouros 

A great history teacher.  It was in his class that my peers and I learned that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas.  Mr Cakourus put the T V on and we all witnessed history that day.

I had Mr. Cakouros as a social studies teacher at Newfield High school, too many years ago!! When I read of his death, I was instantly transported back to the classroom in Centereach. He was one of those teachers whose name you NEVER forget when you hear it. As a retired teacher myself, I must say that he left quite a legacy upon the students that he taught. Mrs. Cakouros, thank you for sharing your dear husband with us so many years ago.
joan shemaka fitzsimmons - Ames, Iowa

As a 2nd generation graduate of NHS…. I have memories of coming home my first day of high school and telling my parents I have one (of many) teachers that they had. He remembered my father vividly and knew my many aunt and uncles and of course he remembered my mom.   Mr. “C” as he was lovingly referred to, was a mentor and influential in what I wanted to grow as a adult.  Always gave the advice, even if it hurt and what we didn’t want to hear.  
I’m saddened to here of his passing. 
My sincere condolences and love to his family at this time.

Mrs. C, 
Sending warm thoughts and condolences  to you and thanks for the many fond memories .

I remember him VERY well. He was someone I was a little afraid of, but DEFINTELY respected when I was a student in the early 80's. When I began teaching in the mid 80's. He was some I REALLY liked. A GREAT mentor to a young teacher. RIP


I knew Tom as my teacher and colleague at Newfield HS.
He was strict and fair and was greatly respected. 
I remember when he walked into the classroom we had to be ready to stand at attention by our desk to state our review of the previous days lesson if called upon.
Rest in peace Mr. C.
Jim Vulpi 

This is very sad news as we all know what a strong influence he had on all of us. He was a great leader and dedicated teacher. I remember to this day taking off season fencing lessons in his garage to keep an edge. He had developed unique skill to impart his comprehensive wisdom.
Around Newfield he was always with his pipe in hand listening intently. He had understanding and patience. Rest in peace.


Leadership, fairness, physical endurance, trust are a few of the qualities Tom instilled in me, and carried through the years. He shared a strength of character we all felt, and garnered a deep respect from everyone around him, especially his teammates. Fencing was a winter sport but through his generosity, we worked spring, summer, and fall through fencing lessons, meets, and competitions. Newfield fencing was a force to be reckoned with and we quietly knew it was Tom's leadership, motivation, inspiration moving through us. More fencers than I know went on to intercollegiate careers, and Olympic competitions. Every one whose life he touched was made better in some way. Certainly anyone who fenced under his tutelage remembers his voice in the phrases, that to me still ring through the years; "They're comin' on like gangbusters" and "this is what it all comes down to" ... Rest in peace Coach ...  A life well lived, indeed!      

I extend my deepest sympathy to Mrs. Cakouros and all the family in their loss. Mr. Cakouros was both unique and unforgettable! He was truly erudite as a history teacher and Vice Principal at the Newfield and Centereach High Schools for more than 30 years, touching the lives of thousands of students.  He was my World History teacher during my senior year at Newfield. To his influence and preparation--and those of other exceptional educators of the Middle County School District--I owe the New York State Regents Scholarship Award, which sustained my undergraduate education through four years at SUNY at Stony Brook (also known as "Stony Brook University").  Thank you, Mr. C., for your excellence as a teacher and dedication! Thank you for your service in the United States Army!  A donation has been sent to the Best Friends Animal Society (which strives to make all U. S. shelters kill-free).

-- Victoria-Ann Bonanni, NHS Class of 1970


I first met Tom in 1960 when I was an aspiring juvenile delinquent and he was my 9th grade social studies teacher. He was also the fencing coach and invited me to give it a try in the basement of Newfield High School. I imagined myself as a swashbuckling Errol Flynn dueling Basil Rathbone on the stairs leading to the Castle’s cellar, our swords creating flickering shadows on the wall. When Tom put a foil in my hand and gave me my first fencing lesson, there was no swashbuckling. There was only the terrible awkwardness of standing sideways and attempting to move like some frozen crab. The only shadows were the shadows of doubt. It was impossible! But, it wasn’t. Tom, the teacher, coach, mentor, father figure shined his inspirational light on me like he did for so many others and that light became self-confidence and a window to all the possibilities that life holds. There were no stolen hub caps in my future. I learned to fence, earned college degrees, had successful careers, and have been married to a wonderful woman for nearly four decades. I emerged from that high school basement guided by Tom’s inspirational light. Thank you, Tom. Rest in peace.



Tom was my teacher, fencing coach, father figure, friend, mentor, and inspiration. 
 He took boys into his care and helped make them men, taught them the power of positivity, and inspired many of those men  to become champions . His love of fencing, coaching,  and teaching lives on in the many fencers and students across the country that continue his legacy of excellence.
Rest in peace, I am forever grateful for all you have done.

I will never forget the first time I met him while I interviewed at Centereach H.S.  Here is this man giving my life’s history as a High schoolTrack and field athlete some 7 years before meeting him. While I was teaching at Centereach ,Tom was my greatest administrative supporter in everything I did for “our kids”. As the years went by Tom became my mentor now in my my role as a grade level administrator. It was such a honor when Tom attended  my wedding. The most important lesson I learned from Tom was our job is “All about the Kids”. My lifetime Rolemodel. May you Rest In Peace!👏💙❤️🌞

OBITUARY

Thomas Cakouros

October 5, 1934 – June 23, 2022

DiLuzio Foley And Fletcher Funeral Homes

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