Peter G. Licopantis

Peter G Licopantis, a longtime resident of Stamford, CT, passed away on April 15, 2026, at the age of 92. Peter had a lifelong love for baseball and the Yankees, and he made it a priority to never miss a game— whether at Yankee stadium, on television, or on the radio. He enjoyed fishing, loved sunflowers, and he had a natural knack for fixing things. Although soft spoken, Peter’s friends knew that if you asked him the right questions, Peter had countless stories to tell. His stories spanned from his childhood in the shadow of the Great Depression, to the worldwide adventures he long enjoyed with his beloved wife, Yolanda.

Peter was born in 1933 in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio to parents Anastasia and Gus Licopantis. Unbeknownst to Peter, he was born a few miles away from his future wife, Yolanda Diamantis. They met as children because of mutual friends. When talking about his early childhood, he often spoke about playing stickball with his neighborhood friends. This pastime sparked his passion for baseball. After his brother, Michael, was born in 1938, his family moved to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan because his father lost his job at the steel mill in Ohio. Eager to recreate pieces of life from their ancestral home in Symi, Greece, Peter’s father took the family fishing in Central Park (and later, Orchard Beach) every Sunday. The experience was rather different from fishing in the Aegean Sea.

In 1946, Peter’s family moved to Astoria. Peter attended Haaren High School, where he made the baseball team as shortstop, but wasn’t able to play on the team because it conflicted with Greek School. Peter often shared fond memories of his father giving him a quarter to go to the movies each week—he would spend 9 cents on the movie ticket and the remainder on potato chips. After graduating from high school, he attended New York Community College and earned associate degrees in Industrial Distribution and Mechanical Technology.

In 1953, Peter reconnected with Yolanda in Astoria, and the two became engaged in 1955. He served in the Army from 1955-1957. After suffering an injury from an overturned deuce and a half, he was honorably discharged from the army. He then returned home and married the love of his life on May 5, 1957. In 1961, Peter started working for Johnson Controls, starting as a technician before advancing to sales engineer and eventually to branch manager. He always spoke fondly of his years there and the sense of accomplishment he felt managing a unit of over 50 people. In 1973, Peter and Yolanda moved to New City, New York, where they raised their two children, Dean and Eve.

In 1998, Peter moved with Yolanda to Stamford, where he became a respected leader in his community, serving as President of his condominium association and as President of the Seniors at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangels.

Those fortunate enough to have known Peter remember his compassion and his patience, his sense of responsibility and his leadership, his humility, and his gift for a well-timed story. He stayed closely connected with those he loved, sending e-cards for every occasion, and expressing his care in thoughtful ways— like sharing batches of his homemade biscotti. To borrow from Wordsworth, he had “the best portion of a good man’s life: little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”

Peter is survived by his brother, Michael (Anne) Licopantis, his children, Dean Licopantis, Eve (Dino) Zacharakos, and his five grandchildren, Kalli and Peter Licopantis, and Athena, Stephanie, and Alexis Zacharakos. He is preceded in death by his devoted wife, Yolanda “Dukie” Licopantis, and his loving parents, Anastasia and Gus Licopantis.

A visitation will be held on Monday April 20, 2026 from 4 to 8 PM at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home 2900 Summer St. Stamford, CT 06905. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday April 21, 2026 at 10 AM at Archangels Greek Orthodox 1527 Bedford St. Stamford, CT 06905 followed by a committal service at Woodland Cemetery in Stamford. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations in Peter’s name be made to Archangel Greek Orthodox Church or St. Jude. To leave online condolences, please visit www.leopgallagher.com.