Theofanis "Teddy" Lampos

Groton- Theofanis “Teddy” Lampos of Groton passed away peacefully at home on July 10, 2023 at the age of 87. The owner of Groton Pizza Palace since 1965, few were harder working or were more beloved in their lifetime.

A proud and true Spartan, he was born on November 30, 1935 in Kastori, a village near Sparta in the state of Laconia, Greece. He spent his youth as a farmer, working and improving his family’s ancestral lands on Mount Taygetos. He was an excellent athlete and was recruited by the Greek national soccer team, but family obligations prevented him from pursuing his passion for the sport. With the collapse of the agricultural economy after the wars of the 1940’s, he emigrated to the United States in 1956 and quickly became a proud American of Greek heritage, working in the granaries and mills of Norwich, Connecticut. By the early 1960’s, he had become a valued employee at the J.B. Martin velvet mill in Norwich, devising improvements that doubled the productivity of the velvet cutting process. At night, he worked at West Side Pizza on Falls Avenue learning the trade that would become his life’s work. By saving his money and working day and night, he became owner/operator of Groton Pizza Palace, and built it into a thriving family restaurant, now in its third generation. Ted was a legend among those who knew him for his unmatched hard work, generosity, warm heart, quick smile, and support of local causes. He will be dearly missed.

He was predeceased by his sister Ann (Angeliki Lampos) Sakellarides, and brother Peter (Panagiotis) Lampos. He is survived by Christina, his wife of 62 years, sons James and Lampros, daughter-in-law Michaelle Pearson, grandchildren Theodore and Phoebe Lampos, and nephew Ulysses Sakellarides.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 15th at 10:00 AM at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 247 Washington St., Norwich. Burial will immediately follow at Maplewood cemetery, 184 Salem Tpke., Norwich. Please visit www.labenskifuneralhome.com to leave an online condolence for the Lampos family.