Obituary: John Ted Stambolitis

LEXINGTON – John Ted Stambolitis was born March 24, 1936 in Chelidona, Greece and passed away on Saturday, September 8, 2012. His parents were Theodosios and Vasiliki Stambolitis and he was predeceased by two brothers, Spero, Angelo and one sister, Fotini.

He is survived by his loving wife, Dena Stambolitis, sons, Ted, Paul and Billy Stambolitis and their spouses Angela and Stacie Stambolitis, grandchildren, Jonathan, Victoria and Zoe Stambolitis, Jennifer Ellison (Andrew), Jeffrey Shuffield and a great-grandson, Peyton Ellison.

John and his brother, Spero, immigrated to Florence SC in 1951 sponsored by their late uncle Steve Hondros. In 1956, he became a U.S. citizen. John attended McClennigan High School, graduating in 1958. He attended Clemson University until drafted by the U.S. Army serving our country during the Berlin wall Crisis and later received an honorable discharge. 

While stationed in Germany, John visited his relatives in Greece where he met and courted Dena Kosmopoulos. On April 10, 1961, they married and he moved his new bride to the U.S. to begin a new life. 

John Stambolitis grew up working in the restaurant business beginning his career at Eat More Restaurant. Later, he and his cousins, Gus Hondros and Andrew Kampiziones opened the Flamingo Restaurant in Florence, SC. He later owned the Chicken Basket, the Summerton Motel in Summerton, SC and the Lamplighter, where he worked until his retirement. Soon thereafter, he moved to Lexington, SC to be near his three sons.

John was a very loving, honest, hard-working Greek-American. He dedicated his life to God, his family, friends, community and his businesses. He was also an avid N.Y. Yankees baseball fan. He loved people and was very kind and generous to everyone he met. God has a new angel and he is now reunited with his family.

Visitation will be held at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home in Lexington on Monday, September 10, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. with funeral services at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 11, 2012.

Sign the guest book for Stambolitis on the Caughman Harman Funeral Home website.