Tommy James Koulouris

Tommy James Koulouris passed away peacefully at his home in South Tampa at the age of 94. With no serious medical complications, Tommy lived a very full life with many bright years. Tommy was a “Giant among Men” and the last of his kind.

Tommy is survived by his wife Sandra Koulouris; Two sons, James Bradford Koulouris of Dunedin Florida and Thomas Wade Koulouris of Palm City Florida. Three grandchildren Alexa Koulouris-Parker of Tampa, Tommy James Koulouris of Tarpon Springs, and Seth Thomas Koulouris of Deerfield Beach Fl. Three great grandchildren- Ty Parker; Tatum Parker; Sawyer Koulouris.

Tommy is preceded in death by his brother Gus Sakkis, his sister Lulu Milonas, first wife Margaret Ann Koulouris, his daughter Vicky Lynn Koulouris and his great grandchild Taylor Koulouris.

Tommy was born of his first-generation Greek immigrant parents in his childhood home in Tampa on Lee street in 1930. He attended Gory Elementary and Plant High school graduating in 1948. Tommy spoke often about how the Greek community at their own expense taught the immigrant Greeks how to speak English after school. He always shared this story when talking about his hero brother Gus Sakkis, a WW2 pilot and later School Board Superintendent of Pinellas County Fl.

Some of Tommy’s childhood memories include riding the trolley cars down Bayshore Blvd. and eating ice cream at Jim Stricklands ice cream shop on South Howard with his friends from Plant High. He often took his family to eat dinner at the Colonnade and shared the stories of the waitresses serving at the drive-up in their roller skates. Just prior to passing Tommy shared with his granddaughter and son that his most cherished moments in his long life was his time as captain of the Plant High School Football team.

Tommy was an avid fisherman his whole life. He loved the times he and his brother Gus would row a small boat out into the crystal-clear waters just south of Gandy Blvd. bridge in Tampa Bay. It was this same water where he taught his sons Brad and Tom to fish as well, also rowing small boats from the fish camp. Tommy also loved to cook and was well known for his famous Cornish hen he smoked in the backyard. His famed smoker was welded together by the mechanics at Hunt Truck. And while in the keys Tommy enjoyed casting to tarpon along US 1.

After graduation from Plant High School Tommy joined the National Guard at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. It was during this time that he married Margaret Ann. After a short stay in the Guard he enlisted in the US Navy. His basic training was in San Diego Ca. After basic he was stationed at the Mayport Naval Air Station in Jacksonville Florida and then later was shipped down to Boca-Chica Naval air station in Key West Florida. Tommy was an ordinance man during the Korean conflict and was instrumental in helping train fighter pilots transition from propeller aircraft to jet aircraft munitions. Tommy loved to share his experiences flying with the pilots and seeing the lights of Havana and Miami at the same time while high aloft.

His time in the Navy while in Key West was some of his most cherished memories with Margaret Ann. They had two children while in the Keys, James Bradford and Vicky Lynn. Margaret Ann was a Nurse during these years.

After his discharge from the Navy, he moved back to Tampa. After coming home to Tampa, he and Margaret had a third child Thomas Wade.

Like Tommy, all three of his children, including Brad, Vicky, and Tom attend Plant High School. However, in 1970 Tommy and Margaret Ann lost their daughter Vicky to Reyes Syndrome. This marked the beginning of some difficult years but through it all Tommy was the rock in the family and did his best to hold the family together.

After Margaret Ann passed away Tommy married Sandra Pupello, a lifelong friend and well-known friend to the family. Sandy and Tommy lived very happily together. Both taking great care of each other through their later years.

Needing a job after leaving the Navy he recalled how his close friend Frank Hunt Junior asked his father to hire Tommy into the trucking business known as Hunt Truck Sales and Service. Tommy often told the story that at the time he told Mr. Hunt he “didn’t know the front end from the back end” of a truck. Tommy had originally swept the mechanic shop floors while in High School but at this point Mr. Hunt taught Tommy all about the trucking business. For the next 50 years Tommy built the company into the largest heavy-duty class eight trucking dealership in the Nation. Over these years he rose within the company and ultimately becoming the President and CEO. His children quip about his life as “Broomstick to Board room in one generation”. Tommy spent his whole career building the truck business until late in his career when the Freightliner Corporation bought out the dealership, effectively retiring Tommy from the trucking industry. Tommy retained an ownership in the ThermoKing refrigeration dealership until 2020.

Funeral Services will be held at:

Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church 3501 San Jose St. Tampa Fl 33629

February 20,1:00 PM. Reception immediately following at Tampa Yacht and Country Club.

Contributions may be made to:

Tampa Bay Waterkeeper: [email protected]