Constantine "Costa" Kaldis

Born in Houston on the 19th of September 1950, to Bessie and Pete Kaldis, Costa was the eldest son, one of seven siblings, in a large, loving Greek family. He grew up on South Boulevard, playing kick-the-can, riding bikes with friends and selling figs to the neighbors.

As a young boy, Costa was proud to be Fire Chief at Poe Elementary School. In the September of 1959 school bombing, Costa rang the alarm initiating the emergency evacuation. In his memoir, “Texas Ranger,” Ed Gooding said this of Costa, “There was one little nine-year-old boy, Costa Kaldis, that I especially remember. The school had supposedly been cleared of all children when young Kaldis heard a [small polio victim] crying. Without hesitation, Kaldis ran back into the room and carried his schoolmate to safety… He was as brave as anyone I’ve ever known.”

Costa was a “mid-termer” at Lanier Junior High and Lamar High School, where he was active in football and FFA. After a semester at SMU, he transferred to the University of Texas Austin where he majored in Business Administration and was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

Like his father, Costa was a deal maker. Shortly after graduating from college, he brokered the sale of the Chicken Ranch in LaGrange and later founded Riata Real Estate Development Company. In 1988, Costa and his family relocated to Santa Monica, California where he pursued a variety of interests.

Costa was a man of big appetites who lived larger than life. He never knew a stranger and collected friends wherever he went. An important part of Costa’s life was his commitment to recovery – his own, and that of others.

Costa adored his children, Susie and Peter. They were devoted to their father and cared for him until the end of his life. He maintained a remarkable relationship with his ex-wife and mother of his children, Dr. Louise Cooley Davis.

Costa was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his children, Susie Kaldis Lowe (Jimmy) and Dr. Peter Denton Kaldis (Dr. Leslie Frels). He is also survived by his six siblings, Sultana Kaldis, Alex Tyson (George), Barbara Cherry (Dr. Tim Cherry), Stephanie Fox (Clinton), Dr. Mike Kaldis (Dorothy), Andrew Kaldis (Catherine); and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Special friends who survive him are Dimitri Demopulos, Wesley Williams, Bob Park and R.B. Williams.

The family extends gratitude to the nurses and staff at CHI/St. Luke’s Hospital, Dialyspa, and his physicians, Dr. Joggy George and Dr. Ruth Wintz.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Thursday, the 3rd of February, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where the Trisagion Prayers are to commence at seven o'clock.

A funeral service is to be conducted at ten o'clock in the morning on Friday, the 4th of February, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard in Houston.

Interment will immediately follow, via escorted cortege, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

Honored to serve as casket bearers during the services include Dr. Peter Kaldis, Dr. Michael Kaldis, Andrew Kaldis, Jimmy Lowe, William Walker, Dimitri Demopulos, Wesley Williams, and Bob Park.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in his name be directed to The Post Oak Club; 6616 Long Point Road, Houston, TX, 77055; The Texas Heart Institute, PO Box 20345 MC 3-117, Houston, TX, 77225-0345; or to the charity of one’s choice. (Direct links to these charities are available below).

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