Born 3/12/1930 in Arhani, Greece
Beloved husband of the late Mary. Proud father of George (Denise), Nick, Jim, and Elaine (Bill) Panagos. Cherished Papou of Speros (Kristen), Joseph (Lindsey), Chris, Gus, Speros, Mary, Maria, and Alexandra. Big Papou of Isabella, Makayla, Lilyana, Colton, and Cameron. Dear Brother-in-law of Helen (Jim) Coffin and the late Jim Gramenos. Survived by his brother, two sisters, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, cousin, and many nieces and nephews here and in Greece.
Speros was born in Arhani, Greece and grew up going to school and working on his family’s farm, where they grew corn, grapes, tobacco, and other crops. During the German occupation of Greece in April of 1941, at 11 years old, he fled to the mountains and the surrounding fields in central Greece to avoid German soldiers. He recalled stories of Germans “hunting” Greeks and other fellow countrymen being taken to concentration camps from Athens. After the Germans were pushed out of Greece, now at age 14, he traveled to Athens to live with his uncle, Savas Georgopoulos, for more opportunity. While living with his uncle, he was often told “Time does not wait”. Appreciating this, he met a friend at a local Cafenio in Athens who had ties to the American Embassy and told him he could get him to America as part of President Truman’s Displaced Persons Act of 1948. He was ultimately selected to go and arrived at Ellis Island in June of 1951 with a peach-pit and 5 dollars in his pocket. There, he traveled by train to Spartanburg, North Carolina, where he lived with his father’s cousin. Sometime thereafter, he was offered to go to Detroit, to work in various restaurants in Greektown and the surrounding area.
He felt alone, afraid, and uncertain about his future in America. Heeding his uncle’s golden maxim, he continued his odyssey into unknown territory. His determination and his willingness to undertake risk, ended up being his life changing decision. He met the love of his life, Mary Gramenos, and the two were married on October 25, 1953. They moved to Montclair St. in Detroit, where the two had four children. He worked to support his family in a machine shop, and after a brief move to North Carolina to work again in the restaurant business, he and his family returned to Michigan to Joanne St. in Warren where he resided until his passing. He was the owner of the Hilton Coffee Shop in Ferndale, MI, where he enjoyed working six days a week servicing the community and providing for his family, who were the light of his life. This is where he got the nickname “Sam”, as many of his patrons referred to him.
Speros was proud to be an American, and always told anyone who would listen that this was the greatest country in the world. He was forever grateful for the opportunities that were provided to him. He enjoyed gardening, watching the Detroit Tigers, church, hunting, driving, going out to lunch with his kids and grandkids, traveling with his wife, including trips back to Greece, where he would reflect on his uncle’s words and the progress he had made since being a little boy in the village. Most of all, he enjoyed being with his family. He never forgot about the peach pit in his pocket and planted peach trees in his yard and his children’s yards. He did this to ensure his children knew where they came from. After the passing of his wife, he longed to be with her again. He would visit the cemetery every Saturday and light a candle in her memory. He lived his life with a quiet dignity, honor, and mutual respect for his fellow man. He would always look you in the eye, treated people the way he wanted to be treated, and told his family to “do the right thing and be honest with everybody”. At the end of his life, he was tired, and content with the life he had led. Indeed, “Time does not wait”, and he left this world peacefully to be with the Lord and his beloved wife without regret. His actions speak louder than our words ever could.
In state Friday, from 10:00 AM until the time of funeral at 11:00 AM at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 21800 Marter Rd., St. Clair Shores. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Speros will be laid to rest in Cadillac Memorial Gardens East Cemetery, 38425 Garfield Rd, Clinton Township, MI 48038; Section: Orthodox, Lot: 3B, Grave: 3.
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