John Psomas Death, Obituary – John Psomas, a longtime member of our community and a dear friend, passed away at his home in Kino this week. We are deeply saddened to report this news. We will miss John very much, but at the same time, we are overjoyed that you are no longer suffering because you are finally reunited with the person you loved so much, Adrienne, in heaven. On Friday, July 19, 2019, there will be a visitation beginning at 6:00 p.m. and continuing until 8:00 p.m. at the Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.
Trisagion prayers will be performed at 7:00 p.m. John was born on the 30th of July, 1928, in the Greek hamlet of Skalohori, which is located on the island of Lesvos. John Psomas, the eighth and final kid, often reflected on his childhood memories of assisting his cobbler father, George Psomas, at Skalohori. John was the youngest of eight children. When he was 9 years old, he remembers the Germans occupying the island and working the soil for them. He was there during that time. During this time, he and his cousin Demitri would steal food off of moving German supply trucks in order to sustain themselves.
What a brave and stalwart youngster he turned out to be when he became the man we know. John enlisted in the Greek Navy when he was 19 years old and served in that capacity until he was 23. Ralou, his older sister, was the one who supported his trip to the United States so he could take advantage of the greater prospects there. After working as a skilled and successful barber for ten years, John met the woman who would become the love of his life in 1961. Niki Heretis Psomas After waiting another year, they tied the knot in the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.
John established the Big Bird Café at the University of South Carolina, which served as a recognizable landmark for tens of thousands of students at USC for more than 25 years. John worked at Fat Boy Restaurant for 25 years, during which time he was extremely devoted and friendly to his clients, bringing smiles to the faces of everyone he encountered. After John retired for two years, he felt compelled to return to the field that he loved so much. John was an incredible businessman who was passionate about everything he did, believed in the value of honest labor, and worked very hard. John’s dedication stemmed, first and foremost, from his unwavering devotion to his family, which included his wife, children, grandchildren, and church.