Athanasios "Saki" Katsavopoulos
June 28, 1947 -- Dec. 19, 2010
A native of Patras, Greece, Saki came to Portland in 1974 as a merchant seaman and fell in love with Sotiria "Sandra" Katchis; they married that year and had two sons, Leftheri & Ianni. As a youth in Greece he served as an elite Evzone guard in the army and won bouts as a prizefighter.In Portland he first worked at Portland Bottling Co. and later for his late mother-in-law, Georgia Katchis in the family business, Three Sisters Tavern. Eventually he and Sandra took ownership of it, which they developed in its last decades into an establishment friendly to Portland's downtown gay community, with entertainment famous along the entire west coast. Saki was known for a boisterous, embracing warmth and an engaging, tough but sweet manner. He held listeners spellbound by fierce, heavily accented storytelling of world exploits. His most cherished blessings in retirement were his grandchildren, Isabella, Georgia & Athanasios. Along with them, his wife and sons, he is also survived by his mother Kalliope & siblings Maria, Theodoros & Christos of Patras, Greece; daughter-in-law Nikki; sisters-in-law Maria Boyer and Pauline Gustafson and husband Michael; 5 nephews, one niece, grandnephews/niece; and the extended Bakouros, Chalkiopoulos, Tsirimiagos & Boyer families of Portland. Services: Trisagion 7 pm, Wed., Dec. 22; Funeral 11 am, Thurs., Dec. 23 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland. Memorial gifts suggested to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Trisagion Service
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
3131 NE Glisan Street
Portland
,
OR
US
Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 7:00 PM
Funeral
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
3131 NE Glisan Street
Portland
,
OR
US
Thursday, December 23, 2010, 11:00 AM
Cemetery
Rose City Cemetery
5625 N.E. Fremont St.
Portland
,
OR
US
97213-1754
Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 12:30 PM