Costas Maratos, 99, of Dedham, Massachusetts, formerly of New York, passed away on October 28, 2019.

Costas Maratos was born in 1920 in a small village in Cephalonia, Greece. Raised mostly by his grandparents, he graduated high school, unusual for his times. His summer job was helping his grandfather tend to the family sheep. He was planning to go to business school in Athens when the second world war broke out and he returned to the island and village life.

He witnessed the gruesome massacre of 5000 Italian soldiers of the Acqui Division by the German High Command and worried about his aunt in the capitol city undertook an eight hike through the mountains to check on her. He found German soldiers were billeted at her house and he them described them as just boys, as scared as anyone else. Sometime during the war Costas met Anna and decided to marry her on sight. Courting involved walking by her house and waving to her in the garden. They were engaged after the war. At its end he also wrote a six page history reporting on life during the war – who had been born, died, married, etc  to relatives in New York who had been without news of family for six years, which was read to a large crowd.

He served in the Greek Navy for two years Administrative Assistant to an Admiral based in Patras and afterwards was in the merchant marine. Costas and Anna married 1948. When their first child died from lack of medical care they decided to immigrate to the United States. Anna was a US citizen born in New York. Ongoing errors with documents delayed his Visa to the point where he "jumped ship" to join my mother. He became a citizen in 1956.

Life in the US wasn't easy. Although Costas was fluent in reading and writing English spoken English was poor. His first job at a grocery store paid only $25 a week and the family lived in a cold water flat. After taking classes to improve his English he joined Hellenic Lines Limited as an "office boy."  He was promoted to "Landing Agent" managing all aspects of a ship docked in the New York ports -- a job that he completely loved.

He managed to pay for the college education of two daughters. After retirement they travelled a bit and enjoyed their grandchildren.  Anna and Costas moved in to into long term care in their early 90s when as their health failed. Unhappy with limitations of being in a nursing home, Costas negotiated a nightly beer as an essential nutrient with the dietician. He made a lot of friends with staff and other residents and viewed as a reasonable home. He enjoyed visits and outings with family and, delighted in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be missed.

He was the beloved husband of the late Anna (Domenikos) Maratos. The only child of John and Maria (Kekatos) Maratos.  Devoted father of Dr. Eleftheria Maratos-Flier and her husband Jeffrey, and Amanda Balint. Father- in -law of Steven Balint. Cherished Pappou of Lydia Flier-Frederick and her husband David, Sarah Flier and her husband Alex Banks, and Jonathan Balint and his wife Susan. Great Pappou of Penelope and Linus Banks. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England, Parker & Ruggles Sts., Boston, MA at 11AM. Visitation prior to the Service from 10AM to 11AM at the church. Relatives and friends kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Newbridge On the Charles, 7000 Great Meadow Road, Dedham, MA  02026 or to St. Eleftherios Greek Orthodox Church, 359 W. 24th Street, New York, NY  10011.  Interment in The Gardens Cemetery, Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA.