Plutarch Zafiris Vamvakias

Plutarch was born on June 26, 1934, in Portland, Maine, to Zafiris and Malama Vamvakias. In the late 1940s, Plutarch and his family moved from Maine to Texas, where he grew up in the greater Houston area. Texas remained his home until 1989, when he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia.

Plutarch attended Rice University, where he studied architecture, a field well suited to both his creative mind and his appreciation for craftsmanship. Throughout his professional career, he led numerous design-build projects around the globe. His work gave him the opportunity to bring ideas to life and left a lasting mark in places near and far.

That same appreciation for creating things with care and purpose extended into his personal life. Plutarch had a true love of woodworking and could often be found in his woodshop, thoughtfully working on his next project. When he wasn't in the shop, there was a good chance he was playing a round of golf or immersed in a book.

Plutarch was a voracious reader with a particular fondness for the classics. Yet among all the things he read, one practice remained constant: his day began with his daily devotional. It was a simple routine that reflected something much greater about the way he lived his life.

Plutarch loved God, his family, and his friends deeply. His Orthodox Christian faith was a foundation of his life and was expressed not only in worship, but also through service. He was a founding member of Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Marietta, Georgia, and later an active member of Saints Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, Georgia. During the last decade of his life, Plutarch devoted considerable time and energy to the Building Committee at Saints Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene as the parish worked to expand its footprint and prepare for future generations.

It was also through his church and his faith that Plutarch met Tina. The two met at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Marietta in 1989 and went on to share nearly 35 years of marriage. Their life together was grounded in a shared devotion to their faith, their family, and their friends. Together, Plutarch and Tina made a meaningful and lasting impact on those around them, building a life centered on love, fellowship, service, and the relationships they treasured.

Above all, Plutarch's greatest legacy can be found in the family he loved and the lives he touched. He is survived by his beloved wife, Tina Vamvakias; his daughters, Christine Waldron and Lynz Hood; his sons-in-law, Rusty Waldron and Michael Hood; his granddaughters, Lily Waldron and Kaydence Hood; his grandsons, Jack Waldron, John Michael Hood, and Garrett Hood; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren, and dear friends, all of whom he cherished. He was preceded in death by his parents, Zafiris and Malama Vamvakias; his brothers, Nicholas Z. Vamvakias, James Z. Vamvakias, and Christopher Z. Vamvakias; and his son Jeffrey Vamvakias.

Plutarch will be remembered as a man of faith, intellect, craftsmanship, and devotion—a man who valued a well-made piece of woodwork, a good book, time on the golf course, and, most importantly, his relationship with God and the people he loved. His was a life built with purpose and sustained by faith, and his influence will remain in his family, his church communities, and the many people fortunate enough to have known him.

Funeral services will be held Friday, September 4, 2026, at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, 3431 Trickum Road, Marietta, Georgia 30066. The Trisagion and viewing will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m.

Following the services, all are invited to gather with the family and share a meal in the Church Parish Life Center.

The family kindly requests that no flowers be sent.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Saints Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church Building Fund in Cumming, Georgia, a ministry that was especially meaningful to Plutarch. Donations can be made directly on the website, by using the link below or via Check.

https://www.stsrni.org/giving

•If you donate on the website, use the Memorial - Op Acct or Capital Campaign 2022 - Payment options, referencing Plutarch in the memo line.

•If you would like to donate via check, checks may be made payable to Sts RNI, with “Building Fund in Memory of Plutarch” written in the memo line, and mailed to:

Sts RNI Church

3074 Bethelview Road

Cumming, GA 30040