85, of Tampa, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, August 12, 2020. He was raised by his parents James and Evangelia Kalamaras in Wheeling, West Virginia. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary, Brookline, MA, with a master’s degree in Theology. While at Holy Cross, he met John Palios who would later introduce him to the love of his life, Helen Palios. They married in October 1959, and shortly after he was ordained a Greek Orthodox Priest. His first parish was St. Demetrios Biddeford, Maine where their first child was born, James (Jimmy). From Biddeford, he was called to Holy Trinity in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where their second child was born, Mary. Father (Fr.) Sam’s next parish took him to Holy Trinity in Orlando, Florida where their third and fourth children, Michael and Angela were born. While in Orlando, he joined the United States Navy Reserves. After some years in Orlando, the next parish offered to Fr. Sam was St. Demetrios in Baltimore, Maryland. He then made the trip back to his wife’s hometown, Tampa, Florida, where he served the Greek community of St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church and was Headmaster of St. John Greek Orthodox Day School for 9 years before becoming an active member in the United States Navy as a Greek Orthodox Chaplain. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and was stationed at the United States Marine Corp. base located in Parris Island, South Carolina. While in Parris Island, Fr. Sam earned 2 more master’s degree.
After serving in the Navy, Fr. Sam was called by St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church in Miami, Florida to be their priest. Fr. Sam then made his way back to the Tampa Bay area, where he served at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey, Florida. Fr. Sam was a pioneer who planted numerous Greek Orthodox parishes that still thrive today.
After serving at St. George’s, Fr. Sam and Helen began Orthodox Christian Ministries where …
Jesus is Lord
They ministered and discipled for many years across multiple communities and Greek Orthodox parishes (Melbourne, Port Charlotte, and Ft. Walton, FL; Macon, GA; Florence, SC;) and brought many people to know the Lord. Fr. Sam was also a professor teaching at Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College in Tampa, Florida. Matthew 28:19-20.
Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; 2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law…....Proverbs 4:1-13
Fr. Sam loved and was deeply loved by his whole family and the communities that he served. Fr. Sam always demonstrated Christ-like attributes and the fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-26. He loved the Lord, with all his heart, when his son Jimmy asked what his favorite bible verse was, his answer was “the whole Bible”. He loved the Florida Gators and proudly supported President Trump.
He was preceded in death by his parents: James and Evangelia Kalamaras; in-laws: Michael and Mary Palios; son-in-law: Nicholas Pappas (Mary); brother-in-law and sister-in-law: John and Artemis Palios. He is survived by his wife of 60 years: Helen; his children: Jimmy Kalamaras (Elizabeth), Mary Kalamaras Pappas, Michael Kalamaras, and Angela Kalamaras Spillis (John); grandchildren Nicole Delgado (Timothy), Eleni Duke (Anthony), Melissa Stark (Adam), Peter Spillis, Samuel Spillis, Nicholas Pappas, Samuel Curtis Kalamaras, Eleni Spillis, and Grace Spillis; great-grandchildren: Joshua, Malachi, Caleb, Titus (Delgado), Madelyn (Stark), Mason & Georgia (Spillis); brother-in-law: George Palios (Julie); and many loved nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members and friends.
Fr. Sam’s pallbearers will be his Grandsons, and brother priest will be the pallbearers inside the church. Visitation will take place on Sunday, August 23rd at 430pm at St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, with the Trisagion Service at 6pm. The funeral will be held on Monday, August 24th, at St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church 2418 W Swann Ave, Tampa, Florida, with the Divine Liturgy at 930am, followed by the funeral service at 1130am. All services will be live streamed; please go to www.stjohntpa.org or St. John Greek Orthodox Church Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting all donations be made to St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in memory of Father Sam Kalamaras.
Please click below to sign up to attend the funeral service.
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We will allow a maximum of 75 people in the church. Overflow seating will be in the Kourmolis Center for an additional 75.
Philippians 4:8-9
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