Elias “Louis” George Malesis was born on February 20, 1933 in Mavromati, Greece to his parents George and Kalomira Malesis. He was their second child, with an older brother, Harry, and a younger brother, Vasilis. Their family lived in poverty, and their village lacked electricity and running water. Reminiscing about his childhood, Louis loved to tell his family and friends about how he often only had a dry slice of bread to eat each day, so he would float it down the river to soften it up. One day, though, a group of ducks made off with his meal before he could retrieve it downstream, and he was left with nothing to eat for the whole day.
Louis also had fond memories of going to school as a child, and, although his family could not afford to send him to high school, he especially enjoyed classes on history and religion. During his time as a young student, Louis also witnessed the tragedies of World War II and the resulting civil war in Greece. He remembered hiding and being chased by Germans and Italians during World War II, and later by communists during the civil war. He witnessed the loss of innocent lives during both conflicts.
In 1951, Louis’ uncle, Alex Malesis, visited Greece from the United States, where he had been living since 1912, and during his visit, Uncle Alex decided to sponsor Louis and one other cousin to immigrate to America. Louis left Greece at the age of 18 on the Nea Hellas for a 13 day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to Ellis Island. Once he arrived in New York, he boarded a train to Renton, Washington, where his uncle had settled.
Although Louis came to America unable to speak a word of English, he was extremely ambitious and hardworking—determined to make the most of the opportunity he had been given. He attended English classes at Edison Technical School, now Seattle Central College, and studied so hard to pass his citizenship test that he developed an ulcer. All the while, he lived and worked with Uncle Alex at Victory Market, a grocery store on the corner of South Third Street and Rainier Avenue South in Renton, where he tended to the flowers and produce. In 1956, Louis began working in the produce department at Market Basket, a local supermarket chain, and within a year, his drive and ingenuity got him promoted to Produce and Flower Buyer/Manager at the Eastgate store, in addition to managing the flowers at six other locations.
In January 1957, Louis attended a New Year’s celebration at St. Demetrios Church, where he met Marianthi (Mary) Petratos. Mary had arrived from Kephalonia, Greece, in 1953, but she told Louis that she wanted to go back to Greece and was saving up for a one-way ticket. He told her she wasn’t going anywhere, and he got her address to drop off a record player and some Greek records to keep her from getting homesick. On Valentine’s Day of that year, they got engaged, and they married several months later on June 2. The next year, they were able to purchase a home with help of his boss: because of how much he appreciated Louis’ work ethic, he co-signed the home loan. Louis and Mary eventually had three children—Mary Ann, Georgia, and Alex—who they raised in the Renton Highlands.
In 1972, Louis and Mary opened a flower shop, Malesis Flowers and Gifts, in the location of the old Victory Market. Even though there were already many established flower shops in Renton, Louis and Mary’s ambition and personable nature led them to run a highly successful business with the help of their children, delivering flowers from Tacoma to Everett while solidifying their reputation and deep ties to the community. Meanwhile, Louis also invested in real estate development, taking courses to sharpen his understanding. He was interested in the work, and ultimately played a role in the development of Renton into the community it is today.
Louis always strongly valued his Greek heritage, and he loved participating in Seattle’s Greek community. He was a member of St. Demetrios Church since 1952, and he served two terms on the parish council, as well as serving on the real estate committee and in the maintenance department. He was member of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) for many years, as well.
The one thing that Louis always valued most was his family. Although he was proud of his own accomplishments, he was even more proud of his family. He felt the best thing about immigrating to Washington was being able to support his family and provide a better life for them, and he wanted to be remembered as someone who did his best to be a good, supportive husband and father. Louis wanted everyone to be successful, and he stressed the importance of education, hard work, and using time wisely to his children and granddaughters. He also thought it was also important that a person use their time to do good things for others and not only for themselves.
During his retirement, Louis enjoyed going on cruises, gardening, going to church, visiting with friends, going to the casino, meeting new people, and spending time with his family. Even though he loved to sit at the head of the table at gatherings to discuss his values and stories from his life, he maintained a sense of humor and never took himself too seriously. When Louis was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2019, he kept a positive outlook and never lost the light of life throughout his illness. He remained strong for his family and enjoyed their company more than ever in his final years. He was able to spend his last days surrounded by his family, and he passed away in his home on November 21, 2020.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years Mary Malesis, his daughter Mary Ann and her husband Kostas Giakoumatos, his daughter Georgia Malesis-Best and her husband Roger Best, his son Alex and his wife Cyndi Malesis, and his three granddaughters Sophia, Maria, and Anna.
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