Obituary: Chris Stefanopoulos, 88, Owned Chris' Diner in Portsmouth

Christos (Chris) Stefanopoulos of Portsmouth, RI, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, May 23, 2014. Born in Kertezi, Achaia, Greece on January 16, 1926, he was the son of the late Maria (Yeanopoulos) Stefanopoulos and the late Trifonas Stefanopoulos.

He is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-two years, Sofia (Mantas) Stefanopoulos. He also leaves his four children, Maria Stefanopoulos Johnson and her husband John, Athanasios (Arthur) Stefanopoulos and his wife Ronna, Georgia Stefanopoulos, and Despina Haralambidis and her husband Cosmas, all of Rhode Island. He was a proud and loving grandfather to nine grandchildren, Christos, Melina and Maria Johnson; Sofia, Athanasia and Christos Stefanopoulos; and Eleni, Michael and Constantine Haralambidis. He also leaves many nieces and nephews in Greece and the U.S.

Chris also is survived by two brothers, Vasilios Stefanopoulos of Kertezi, Greece and Demetrios (James) Stefanopoulos of Holyoke, MA; and a sister, Eleni Rellas of Kertezi, Greece. He was predeceased by three brothers, Athanasios, Gregorios and Georgios Stefanopoulos, all of Kertezi, Greece and one sister, Penelope Aggelopoulos of Patras, Greece.

Chris served as a Captain in the Hellenic Army during the Greek Civil War following World War II. After being released from the Army in 1951 he returned to his hometown of Kertezi and later immigrated to the United States and settled in Newport, R.I in 1956. After gaining his U.S. citizenship, he returned to Greece in 1962 where he married his wife Sofia. Together they returned to Newport where they worked diligently and raised their family. Chris became a partner at the Quality Lunch on Broadway in Newport and later purchased the then Portsmouth Diner on East Main Road in Portsmouth, which he enjoyed operating with his wife and family as Chris's Diner for the next 44 years.

Mr. Stefanopoulos was a member of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Newport since his arrival in Newport where he faithfully attended with his family. He was also a Life Member of the local chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA).

He greatly loved his family and the outdoors, spending countless hours in the gardens he and his wife maintained both at home and at their restaurant. Later in life Chris enjoyed traveling and visited many of the major sites of the world he had only heard about in his youth.

Visiting hours will be held Sunday, May 25, 2014 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Memorial Funeral Home at 375 Broadway, Newport, R.I. Funeral Services will be held Monday, May 26, 2014 at St. Spyri don Church, 390 Thames Street, Newport at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Middletown Four Corners Cemetery, Middletown, R.I.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Spyridon Church Endowment Fund, PO Box 427, Newport, RI 02840.