Socrates Papadimatos

1930 - 2018

Socrates Papadimatos, boy from the Greek island, Cephalonia, has died at age 88 on September 24, 2018 -born March 10, 1930. The beloved husband of Lenna for 63 years and loving father of son Mark, Daughters: Taysie Pennington (Bruce) and Ava Petersen (John), and predeceased by daughter Revecca Duffy. He leaves behind eight grand-daughters and 7 great grand-daughters.
Socrates came to this country at age 18, fleeing the communist regime in Greece. His first job was in Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked as a dishwasher for two dollars a day. From there he travelled from restaurant to restaurant learning the tricks of the trade blended with his skills and became a chef extraordinaire. His meals burst the taste buds and had a tremendous following from miles around.
In his lifetime, he owned two restaurants, the Sunrise Restaurant and the Antrim Lodge was a famous fishing, hunting lodge upstate New York, where he served many people from travelers, locals, and many famous people who had vacation homes in the area. Son, Mark, his partner, worked with him to keep things running smooth in hotel and downstairs dining room, while Socrates' domain was in the kitchen upstairs and every corner of the place.
He hosted a dinner for President Carter and Rosalind ... serving a two headed trout dinner in keeping with the local legend of two famous rivers converging and the trout grew two heads pondering which one to swim into.
In Lodi, where he moved with Lenna in 1996 he became well known as the "Bread Man"...provided by a benefactor. He generously handed out bread, cakes, pastries, and whatever grew on trees surrounding his property. No one left his property empty handed including someone making a wrong turn into his driveway. He loved to share his life and stories and people never tired of hearing them, even if he repeated them often.
He gave from the heart what he could from a life of poverty and war in occupied Greece, from a young immigrant working hard, learning and adding to his talent and expertise, raising a family. He was not an ordinary man...his abilities, exceeded perception, his love for God (his true benefactor) and America for the freedom and opportunities to succeed and benefits for all who are willing to stay focused and work hard and be good people.
We cannot leave out the "Flag Man," he loved his adopted country becoming a U.S citizen in 1965. He was asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at an activity at the Woodbridge Post Office a few years back and he did it with pride...alas his command of English sometimes slipped and he proclaimed "and to the republicans" instead of republic. Every July 4th he displayed at least 150 flags on his property and he loved it when people honked their horns as they passed by.
His heart and mind and life were filled with appreciation and gratitude for all he had. He was a giver, and his faith in God made him give as he received.
One of his famous lines was "God bless America...and the Greeks!"
How we will miss him. Socrates, a true philosopher, was bigger than life!
A visitation will be held Tuesday October 2, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm followed by a Trisagion at 6:00 pm. A funeral services will be held Wednesday October 3 at 10:00 am at St. Basil's Greek Orthodox Church. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of San Joaquin or St. Basils Greek Orthodox Church.