AHI Saddened by Passing of
Mr. Roosevelt N. Larigakis

The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) mourns the passing of Mr. Roosevelt Nicholas Larigakis of Delran, N.J., who died the morning of Thursday, November 8, 2012. Roosevelt was the father AHI President Nick Larigakis.  He was 89.

Roosevelt was the beloved husband of 55 years to Kiki Larigakis; devoted father of two sons, Nick of Alexandria, Virginia; and Constantine of Delran, New Jersey; and devoted grandfather of Panayiota.

Roosevelt was born on the island of Skopelos, Greece and was always very proud that he was named after a U.S. president, Teddy Roosevelt. He endured the German wartime occupation of Greece and eventually immigrated to the United States in 1947. For the next 15 years, he lived in New York, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia where he worked as a cook.  For a time, he also worked on board a Mississippi River tug boat. Since 1962, Roosevelt was mostly a resident of New Jersey (Wrightstown, Bordentown, and Delran) except for a few times when he went back to Greece, which he loved so much, for a few years at a time.  He continued to work in the food industry, including 10 years as a cook at the Officers Club of McGuire AFB.

Never having completed more than a six-year elementary education, Roosevelt endured much hardship throughout his life trying to provide for his family.  However, his family takes solace that he was at rest during the last 20 years in retirement. Nonetheless, his life’s only goal was to provide for his family and his two sons and to ensure they had an education and a better life. In this regard, Roosevelt’s ultimate pride and enjoy was his family, especially his two sons Nick and Constantine.

Although Roosevelt lived in the United States for almost 60 years, he never lost the love for his motherland and of his hometown, Glossa, on the Island of Skopelos. It was there that he felt most at ease and enjoyed more than any other.

A viewing will be held Monday, November 12, 2012 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the M. William Murphy Funeral Home (www.murphyfh.com), 1863 Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton N.J. 08619.  Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 13, 2012, Noon, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1200 Klockner Road, Hamilton, N.J. 08619, with burial  at Greenwood Cemetery, 1800 Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton, N.J. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that a memorial contribution in his name be sent to the American Hellenic Institute, 1220 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC  20036.