Obituary of Constantine Alikakos

Constantine "Dino" Alikakos went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 14, 2020. He is predeceased by his parents, Leonidas and Panagiota; his brother, Vasilios; his godson Dimitrios Diamantakos; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Vasilios and Maria Papastrat; sister-in-law Stacey Dikeakos; and many other family members who he now joins forever. He is survived by his devoted wife of 54 years, Jean (Papastrat), two loving daughters Patricia Stella and Maria, three adored grandchildren Danny, Jenna, and Nicholas Davis; brothers Peter and Paul of Binghamton, sister Georgia Panoutsakos of Sparta, Greece; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Helen Anastos, Patricia Anagnostakos, Louis and Voula Diamantakos, Pete Dikeakos, Jim (Georgia) Papastrat, Chris (Crystal) Papastrat, and many special nieces, nephews, and cousins. Dino was a devoted member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Binghamton. Dino was co-owner of the Tally-Ho Pantry in Binghamton, NY from 1978-1990 and Pancho's Pit in Johnson City, NY from 1990 until his retirement in 2008. He was born March 14, 1937 in Sparta, Greece. He graduated from Emboriki Skoli high school in Sparta, and then went to live in Athens for two years. He left Greece during the diaspora of1950-1964 – a time when nearly two million people left the country due to the weak economic situation and unstable political climate after World War II and the Greek Civil War. He worked for Ford Motor Co. in Cologne, Germany for three years, then he journeyed to the United States, first living in Washington, DC, and ultimately settling in Binghamton, NY in 1965 when he married Jean. He became fond of American pop culture, especially jazz music and dancing. He was fascinated with American movies, which prompted him to send a headshot of himself to Hollywood in hopes of being discovered as an actor. Although that dream didn't materialize, he remained a huge fan of western movies. He spoke Greek, English, and German, and his loves in life were his family, gardening, traveling to his village in Greece every summer, going to the beach, playing pinochle, backgammon, cooking big family dinners, and hunting. He was an avid sports fan, especially Olympiakos soccer and Chicago Blackhawks hockey. Funeral Services will be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 214 Court Street, Binghamton, Tuesday at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Riverhurst Cemetery, Endwell. The family will receive friends at Holy Trinity Church, Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Expressions of sympathy in Dino's memory may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 214 Court Street, Binghamton, NY 13901.