Panagiotis Karafotis, of Watertown, MA passed away on June 25, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.

Panagiotis was a loving, caring, selfless, and soft-spoken man who loved his family and friends. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Panagiotis had a quiet, inner strength.  He and his beloved wife Maria of 60 years were inseparable partners in life and deeply committed to each other. He worked hard and provided a warm and loving home for his children John and Niki. He instilled in them the importance of family, the Greek Orthodox Faith, their Hellenic heritage, and education. When John and Niki married, he and Maria welcomed their spouses Fotini and Mike into the family as a second daughter and son.

Panagiotis especially adored his five grandchildren – Katerina, Vangelis, Maria, and Peter Athanasopoulos; and Peter Karafotis. He shared in their achievements and never missed a special event. You name it - birthdays, name days, recitals, Greek and Sunday school programs, Independence Day parades – Pappou was always there for them. They enjoyed his bedtime stories which both amused and entertained them.

His warmth extended beyond his immediate family. At breakfast during sleepovers, Theo Pano treated nieces and nephews to special pancakes made in the shape of their initials. He was close to his dear sisters Argyro and Georgia, and their departed husbands Demosthene and John. He also cherished his brother-in-law Thanasi and his spouse Nopi. He shared a strong bond with all of them and together they generated a lifetime of beautiful memories for the generations to come.

Born in Vassara, Sparti, in Greece, he would visit there frequently spending hours in the company of family and friends sharing stories of their childhood. His passion was writing about the history of his village in the "Vassara Nea" newsletter – he was a frequent contributor. His delight was to take first-time visitors and show them their ancestral family homes, the local museum, the secret school of St. John, among other places.

It was these simple and kind interactions that shaped everyone's experience with Panagiotis.

He was a generous, kindhearted, and gentle soul. We will miss him dearly, but his legacy will live on.

May God grant him peace and comfort. May his memory be eternal!

Πατέρα θα είσαι πάντα στις καρδιές και τις σκέψεις μας.

Σε αγαπάμε, Καλό Παράδεισο!