Darryl D Kourdouvelis

Darryl Dean Kourdouvelis, AKA "The Important Greek" was born May 20th, 1933 in Centralia, Illinois. Hepassed away December 5th, 2016 in Naples, Florida. Darryl was the son of the late Jessie (Bell) and George Kourdouvelis. He also had two siblings, sister,Athenaand brother,Donald, who preceded him in death. He married the beautiful, Betsy Seip, August 23rd, 1958. This marriage produced one offspring, a son, Kris Kourdouvelis. Also surviving is his niece, Konnie Thrash of St Charles, Missouri.
Darryl attended Central Grade School, Centralia Township High School, Centralia Junior College (now known as Kaskaskia College.) While attending Centralia JUCO, he served as athletic manager, business manager and cheerleader. He even coached the first half of a Blue Devils basketball game when the coach was unavoidably detained.
His antics as a cheerleader were known far and wide. He often performed spontaneously at CTHS basketball games during the Centralia Holiday Tournament. He would take to the center of the court unannounced during a time out when the Orphans were behind and stir the crowd to a frenzy with his "Give Me A C" yell. One time, when the Blue Devils played a preliminary game at Southern Illinois University, the SIU Athletic Director asked him to stay and perform a cheer for the Salukis. He did and was offered a scholarship there. He was written up in the Chicago Tribune newspaper for his cheerleading talent.
Darryl was very proud to work alongside his friends David Allen, Jerry Ray, and Bud McMillan, for many years, running the chain gang for the Centralia High School home football games. They were considered by many of the officials to be the best in Southern Illinois.
He grew up working in the family dry cleaning business, Kourdouvelis Cleaners, along with his two siblings. When it closed he took a job at Warren G. Murray Childrens Center. There he setup a workshop and created a program to teach skills to children with mental disabilities to allow them to feel productive. Several of them were placed in jobs throughout the community. During his 27 year career there he would often bring some of the children home during the holidays. Darryl also portrayed Santa Claus at the facility on Christmas.
He was a member of the Centralia Chapter of DeMolay. He served as Master Counselor and was inducted as a Chevalier, one of the highest honors in the organization. He later became a Chapter "Dad".
In 1955 he became a member of Centralia Lodge NO. 201 A.F. & A.M., and was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason December 23rd of that year. He served as Worshipful Master of this lodge in 1985 and was a Life Member. He served as the Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of Greece A.F.& A.M. and the Grand Chapter of Greece York Rite Masons. He was an Honorary Member of Jackson, TN Lodge No.45 and the Tamiami Trail Lodge NO. 262F. & A.M. in Everglades City, FL. He was a Life Member of the York Rite Masons, The Salem, IL Council, The Cyrene Commandery and The Centralia Chapter where he served as High Priest.
He and his lifelong friend Dick Salisbury helped establish Little Egypt Order #63 Sword of Bunker and they were a driving force behind its success. He was a 55 plus year member of the Scottish Rite Bodies and the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and served as President of the Centralia Shrine Club. He was honored by being appointed a Grand Lodge officer and served as Grand Standard Bearer and was a member of the Committee on Credentials and the Jurisprudence Committee for Grand Lodge A.F.&A.M. of Illinois.
Upon moving to Naples, FL. he became a perpetual member of Cypress Lodge NO. 295 F. & A.M. and served as Worshipful Master in 2002. He became the Dean of Instruction for Cypress Lodge and spent hundreds of hours teaching newly made Masons their Catechisms. This was a labor of love. He later became a plural perpetual member of Veritas Lodge NO. 395 F.& A.M. He belonged to Fort MyersCouncil NO.35 and Fort Myers Commandery No. 32 and Everglades Chapter of York Rite Masons where he served as High Priest. He served as President of the Naples Shrine Club and two terms on their board of directors. Membership by invitation only included Darryl becoming a member of the Pentagon York Rite College, later a Life Member; he became a member of the Royal Order of Jesters and belonged to Court No. 170 Fort Myers FL. He was also a member of the Naples Billiken Club, Past Exalted Ruler and Lifetime Member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks #493 and a member of the Moose Lodge #1219, both in Centralia.
Darryl was a member of several "invitation only" drinking and carousing social clubs in Centralia including BUFFYS BUFFETT, where he served as Imperial Buffy in 1992 and was bestowed the title of Past Imperial Buffy (PIB) an exclusive club of which there were only 12 members, The BEARS LOCAL No. 1, The Drinking, Marching, and Burying Society (DM&BS) where he received the most sought after title of "King Of The May." In fact he was the LAST REIGNING KING OF THE MAY and "The Knights of the New Park" where he became the "Most High Mogul". A title he cherished. This was a group whose purpose was to eat, drink and be merry.
A Memorial Service was held at the Cypress Masonic Lodge in Naples, FL. In lieu of flowers your tax deductible donations may be made in his memory to "Musicians Help Fund Community Foundation of Greater Memphis", 1900 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38104, started by Darryl's son, Kris, to help with Memphis musicians health care needs.
Service Information
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