Tasos Papas (born Anastassios Papanastassiou) passed away on July 13, 2021 peacefully at home with his wife, Georgia and his two children James and Maria at his bedside.

Tasos devoted his life to his family, the Greek Orthodox Church and AHEPA.

Tasos was born in the house his father built in Evia, Greece, the first born to parents Demetrios and Maria (Molaris) Papanastassiou. His brother Nicholas preceded him in death and he is survived by his sister, Sophia and her husband Phillip Kakoyannis. Tasos also leaves three nephews, Demetri (Nadia) Kakoyannis, Yiannis (Adriana) Kakoyannis, Nicholas (Susan) Chenos, and a niece Tracie (Johnny) Pamplin.

Tasos served eleven years in the Royal Greek Navy, which was meant to be his career. He was trained as a Sonar Engineer and attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer, but he was sent to Long Beach as one of the Naval Officers to accept three destroyers the United States was giving to Greece, and while in port he attended the Greek Orthodox Church in Long Beach where he met Georgia, the church organist, and that was the end of his Naval Career. Tasos and Georgia were married for 61 years. Tasos was very proud of his two children, James (Deborah) who is a Global Manager at a multi-national company in Geneva, Switzerland, and Maria who is a Software Engineering Manager at a large Aerospace company in Manhattan Beach, California.

Tasos was proficient in mechanical-electrical-hydraulic maintenance of metal forming presses used to manufacture large caliber ordnance for the United States Military and worked as a Maintenance Foreman for Norris Industries for over 20 years. He also had a State of California Real Estate License and was a member of the Long Beach Board of Realtors working for Century 21 for a time. He was called upon to test the Greek children entering the Los Angeles Unified School District to determine their proficiency levels in both Greek and English. He was also summoned by the Long Beach Superior Court to translate Greek Documents into English.

Tasos was a Parish Council member of the Long Beach Greek Orthodox Church for 49 years. He served as Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary and President for five terms. He was involved with the Parish Council building the church and cultural center. He was a member of the committees for the Consecration of the church and to build the third building containing a gym, classrooms and administration offices. He was a member of the maintenance committee dealing with vendors, contractors, repairmen and spending many hours a week on the church grounds. You could call on him night or day and he'd be there to help solve the problem. Tasos, for many years, provided the Holy Cross used at the Epiphany service each year, which he had made, painted and weighted so it had just the right bouyancy in the water.

He was a devoted AHEPA member for forty-nine years, serving in many capacities. He was the President of the Long Beach Chapter #342 for several years and is responsible for reviving and keeping it active.

Tasos was always willing to help anyone, anywhere, anytime and was very social and would go anywhere for a party. You can bet he is partying up in Heaven right now!

Services will be at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 5761 E. Colorado Street, Long Beach, CA 90814. Trisagion at 7:00pm on Friday, July 23, 2021 with refreshments to follow. The funeral service will be at 11:00am on Saturday, July 24, 2021 with the Makaria luncheon to follow. Private burial on August 13, 2021 at Forest Lawn in Cypress, CA.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapman Funeral Homes - Terry & Mary Harmon, Funeral Directors. Toll free (855) 628-0447.

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 Obituary notice for Chapman Funeral Homes. Please visit  www.chapmanfuneraldirectors.com  .
 
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