A Tribute to my FatherGregory Pete Stasinos -- February 8. 1922 - February 1, 2004
On February 1st of 2004 I lost my dad. He was about the finest person I've ever known and he had become my very best friend. It just didn't seem right that I put up a web site and didn't say something about him.
It's not considered fashionable these days to think of your father as your hero but everyone who knew my father thought of him as a very special and exceptional person. Of course I would think of him that way and if that were as far as it went I really couldn't say that he was anything other than an average father and man. There were, as it turns out, several hundred people at his funeral whose lives were changed by him. A profoundly humble man, he would never have believed that he had touched so many people in so strong a way.
I would be greatly fortunate just to have known him. I could never express my appreciation that I was also his friend and he was mine.
He was born Gregory Pete Stasinos on February 8th, 1922. That's the same year that the T.V. was invented. He was the 2ndyoungest of 5 children born in Chester Pennsylvania to Greek immigrants who met in the U.S. He was the 4th of his brothers and sisters to come into the world and the 4th to leave it.
As a child he would, from time to time, ride with the milk and ice delivery men on their horse drawn carts. Cars were still a bit of an oddity in Chester at that time. People still had ice-boxes, although there were refrigerators they were only just starting to become somewhat common in homes.
In his life he witnessed the advent of countless technologies. The car, TV, commercial aircraft, home computers, and so many other things that we take for granted were either very rare or, in some cases not even a dream when he was young.
He fought with distinction during the 2nd world war and watched as other wars proved that his was really not "The War to end all Wars".
He went from a chef to a restaurant owner. Later, he went from a carpenter to a contractor. He was always curious and amazed by all things new. His nature, through most of his life, wouldn't allow him to just sit idly by while the world went on without him. I can only hope that when my time comes I can say that I've led as full a life as my father…my very best friend.
A couple of days after my father died I sat at my computer and wrote my thoughts. My fiancée had me print it, frame it, and put it up at the wake. It's now in my living room next to his picture. I thought it would be appropriate to post it here.
First he was my Father, commanding the love and respect entitled
a parent. He raised us with a firm but caring hand.
As I grew older he became my best friend as well. We talked,
studied, prayed, laughed and teased together. We spent time
together as best friends do. All the while there was no mistaking
the fact that he was first my Father.
For many years I've taken care of him through times when he
found it hard to take care of himself, but through that, in many
ways, he took care of me too.
There were more times than I could count when he said to me "I
don't know what I'd do without you". Now that he's in the care
of The Lord, I'll have to figure out what I'll do without him.
Feel free to click on my Dad's Prayer Card to enlarge it to a readable size.
The Bible verses on it, chosen by my brother, were among his favorites.
*** NOTE ***
The following section is still under construction.
I thought it would be interesting to list some of the advances and conveniences that my dad saw come into being.
Many are things that we couldn't imagine living without while others are things that
came and went so long ago we have to try to remember them.
Below that is a list of the U.S. Presidents that he saw come and go.
Enjoy!