Kyriakos "Chris" Krikris

Kyriakos "Chris" Krikris, 83, of Wenatchee, died Saturday, January 12, 2008, at the Souve Adult Family Home, where he lived since mid-December 2007. Chris was born September 5, 1924, the second of six children, to Stavros and Eleni (Magoulas) Krikris on the island of Patmos in Greece. He received his early education there, helped his father in the family's general store and operated a coffee house at age 15. Chris emigrated to the United States in 1946, to Hattiesburg, MS. His uncle, Chris Magoulas, sponsored him. He worked in his uncle's restaurant in Hattiesburg, then moved to New York City and later, Washington, D.C. He worked as a waiter at the Occidental Restaurant in Washington, one block from the White House, waiting on such people as General Omar Bradley, General Douglas MacArthur, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford (when the latter were Congressmen) and Alben Barkley, just to mention a few. He later opened his own restaurant, the Club II on Capital Hill, which served many from the Senate, the House and the Supreme Court. After selling the Club II and "retiring," Chris operated the Westchester Dining Room in Upper Georgetown until 1981, which also served many distinguished Washington notables. Chris married Helene, his wife of nearly 39 years, in Washington, D.C. and again on Patmos, Greece in 1982. He brought Helene back to her "home" of Wenatchee in 1985, where they have lived since that time. Chris was fluent and could read and write in three languages; Greek, Italian and English. He spoke passable Spanish and some Russian. Chris is survived by his wife, Helene of Wenatchee; daughter, Helen; son, Steve; and granddaughter, Sophia, all of Athens, Greece; his brother, George of Lewes, DE; sister, Margaret (John) Fotinos of Houston, TX; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Kalliope; and brothers, John and Isidoros. Isidoros was a Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in Athens. The Funeral will be held at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle, where Chris and Helene were members, with burial in Wenatchee. May his memory be eternal! No time on earth is long enough to share with those we love or to prepare our hearts for good-bye. Rest well, my Golden Greek! Services will be held Thursday, January 17, 2008, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Demetrios Church in Seattle, WA. Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2008, at Wenatchee Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Demetrios Dome Fund, c/o St. Demetrios Church, 2100 Boyer Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98112. Arrangements by Jones & Jones ~ Betts Funeral Home.