Christos Georgios X Konstantis
By its fruit, a tree is known … Christos, born on the island of Rhodes circa 1890 and named after his dead brother, arrived when Greece was tenuous and poverty was rampant. At age ten, an apprenticeship was arranged for Christos in Alexandria, Egypt. Unspoken hardships and hard work always followed Christos, but he held the promise of joy close to him. As a young adult, he became the owner of a coffee house on the banks of the Nile, but after ancient ruins were unearthed beneath Christos' shop, he was forced to close the shop and cast his eyes toward America.
Arriving at Ellis Island in 1918, Christos made the trip with others from his village, whereupon half of the villagers left for Massachusetts and the other half for Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Christos worked in the steel mills of Pittsburgh until he could bring his sister, Maria, and her two sons to America. This was the beginning of his legacy of generosity. He later opened a restaurant in Fort Washington, Pa. and then moved his family to Williamsport, Pa. and opened another two restaurants.
Christos’ nephew Costas then brought over his betrothed, Elpiniki Aescholas Samarakis. Ya-ya Maria, Costas’ mother, never learned English, as it was not spoken at home, and she never dined in the restaurants, but devoted herself entirely to her young daughters and baby son. In 1934, a flood destroyed the family’s businesses and with it Elpiniki’s health. Elpiniki, who as a young and beautiful woman traveled alone to America to marry a stranger, had only wanted to stay in Greece with the nuns and serve God. In America, her only connections in this world were now her small children, which she had to take care of alone under the tyranny of Costas' mother, Maria. Finally, Elpiniki succumbed permanently to melancholia, never to overcome her illness.
Meanwhile, Christos settled in Wellsboro, Pa. and opened the Nu-Way Lunch. Costas, known now as "Gus", stayed behind in Williamsport to look for work. Yet Christos remained the family workhorse, and he would soon take in and raise Costa and Elpiniki’s children. He welcomed them with delight and unflappable devotion. For a man whose own childhood was cut short and knew only hard work, family had become everything to him and his generosity continued. During the depression, people would come to the shop daily, and Christos would pack them dinners to carry home free of charge. Still, Christos was a modest man and would often tell us, “If you do a good thing, tell no one.”
In 1973, Christos' "adopted daughters" made their way to their parents’ birthplace, and returned home with photographs of the place he had known for only a short time as a child. One photograph was of an ancient olive tree. Uncle Christos, now well into his nineties, recognized immediately the tree he had played on before he was forced to leave his homeland. He had never forgotten. This same small child grew up and through great adversity, bowed his back and became the bridge we all walked over to receive the gifts we have today. Thank you, Theo, for your faithfulness and for the lessons you taught us when you thought no one was looking.
