GEORGE WILLIAM VLETAS

GEORGE WILLIAM VLETAS, departed this life on September 21, 2009, after a long battle with asthma and Type 1 diabetes.He was born in Austin, Texas, on his parents' third anniversary, December 27, 1953, but moved to Houston with his family at the age of three.He attended Bellaire High School and Houston Baptist University, where he graduated with a Degree in Business in 1976.His professional career as a land man involved analyzing oil and gas leases, but his life-long avocation was people. Despite health issues that would have driven others to despair, he welcomed each day as an opportunity to be with family and friends. If you were his friend, you were a friend for life, and most everyone he knew he counted as "a friend." When first out of college, he enjoyed following stocks and met an elderly man while watching the stock tickertape. Their discussions of stocks soon led to an active friendship that continued for life. This was a formula that would be repeated innumerable times in the next 30+ years.He stayed in close contact with neighborhood playmates, childhood friends from church, his Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers, colleagues from various employers, and AHEPA brothers. But, for the last 13 years, his ultimate joy was his twin son and daughter. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them, and his greatest gift was teaching them the importance of celebrating people and living each day that God gives us to its fullest.George did not have much in the way of material things, but the love and compassion he showed to others, particularly those less fortunate, made him his Father's (and his father's) son, and in that he was wealthy beyond measure.He adored his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law, as well as his uncles and aunts, cousins and extended family. He would happily drive 370 miles for the opportunity to spend just a day with family. He loved his Church and was an active member of St. Basil the Great since its inception. He was a founding member of the James G. Petheriotis Chapter No. 522 of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association and served as its President for the past two years. George was preceded in death by his father, James George Vletas, his uncles Dr. James Andres, Carl Avramides, Nicholas Andrews, and, most recently, George "Pete" Vletas, and his aunts, Elizabeth Avramides and Pat Andres.He leaves behind his loving mother, Penelope A. Vletas, precious children, James George and Mary Catherine Vletas, devoted sister and brother-in-law, Katie-Pat and John P. Bowman, all of Houston, dear aunts Helen Andrews and Martha Vletas, of Abilene, TX, cousins Cannell Dillard of Little Rock, AK, George Andrews of Cleveland, OH, Nicole Standly of Houston, Debra Mashburn of Ft. Worth, TX, Donna Peters of Manassas, VA, Spiros Andres of Tucson AZ, Dr. Frank Andres of Jacksonville, FL and Julia Wolf of Hammond LA, numerous second and third cousins and countless friends.The family will welcome friends at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale in Houston beginning at 5:00pm on Friday, September 25, 2009, with a Trisagion service to be held at 7:00pm. The funeral will occur at 10:00am on Saturday, September 26, at St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Eldridge in Houston, with entombment at Forest Park Lawndale, followed by a lunch at St. Basil's. Remembrances may be made to St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church Fund or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.