Nicholas V Pastis

Nicholas V. Pastis died on October 22, 2010 at the age of 94 in Setauket, New York. He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Venus Charnas, his sister Maria Aivaliotis, three children: William (Argie), Theodora (Bruno) and Jacqueline (dear friend Ginanne); five grandchildren, Nicholas, Stefanie (Chad), Anthony (Melissa), Christopher (Heather), and Mark; and six great-grandchildren, Irene, Nichole, Shawn, Mia, Joshua, and Audrey.

Nicholas was born June 14, 1916 on the island of Ikaria, Greece, to Zaharoula and Vasilios Pastis. As the seventh son of eleven children he was baptized by an emissary of King Constantine of Greece. He came to the United States in 1935 and worked his way from dishwasher to restaurateur. He was engaged in 1941 but served in the Army Air Force from 1943-1945 before marrying Venus, the love of his life, on January 6, 1946. He and Venus first lived in a furnished room and despite a kitchen the size of a closet, had parties and celebrations into the wee hours. Nick opened several restaurants in his long career, among them Caldes in Hoboken, the Mercury Luncheonette in Brooklyn, and the Shangri-La in Lake Grove, Long Island, which was a gathering place for friends and family for many years. After retiring from the Shangri-La he became a franchisee of Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips in Tampa. His last active pursuit was farming where he hand cultivated four acres of land and was affectionately known as the “Tomato King.”

Nick was a man of many talents. He was an avid fisherman, a fabulous cook, an excellent dancer, a wine maker, a horticulturalist of lilacs and figs, a stonemason who laid the marble patio at the family homestead, and an animated storyteller. He was a generous man who welcomed family and strangers alike to break bread at his table.

In his last years he was unable to farm his usual ten hours a day but loved to sit by his kitchen window, enjoying his backyard view of God’s country. He was an adoring husband, a devoted father, and loving grandfather. He will be missed beyond words by his family, nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and friends. Visitation Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 pm at Casimir Funeral Home 4839 Nesconset Highway Port Jefferson Station LI, 11776. Burial service Thursday 10:00 am at Greek Orthodox of the Assumption in Port Jefferson. Interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Good Shepherd Hospice, 200 Belle Terre Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777, or to the Icarian Club Building Fund: Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America “Icaros,” Helios Chapter #19-Building Fund, PO Box 3474, Clearwater, FL 33767.