Louis Gouliamas

Louis Gouliamas passed away on August 10, 2025 after a series of long illnesses.
He was the former President of the Pontian Society 'Komninoi' of New York in Astoria.
Louis Gouliamas was born on December 10, 1935 in Katerini Greece to Sotiris and Maria (Vakalis) Gouliamas. He is one of four sons in the family along with Kriton, Mimi (Dimitry) and John. He excelled in academics and soccer as a youth before he emigrated to the US on December 1, 1955 just shy of his 20th birthday to pursue the American dream
He started as a dishwasher at a family owned restaurant in New Hampshire but held various jobs in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and a brief stint in Los Angeles. In the 1960s he got a job as a life insurance agent for NY Life, making their million dollar round table. Later on he worked for shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis before his death in 1975. Using what he learned in the shipping business he worked on reconfiguring standard tankers for use in carrying livestock in a more cost effective and humane manner to sell sheep in the Arab market. Later on, he partnered with heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali to buy crude oil from Libya on behalf of the Onassis organization. That effort resulted in meeting with Muhammed Ali and Libyan President Mohmaar Qaddafi that was attended by local journalists and a photo of the three of them made it to the front page of the Libyan newspaper. He got married in 1969 and he and his wife had two children Grace and Steve. He married again in 1988 and became a step father to Jimmy and Alexandra Zervos
In a desire to help his family back in Thessaloniki Greece, he purchased two one hour photo machines in the early 80s, which had already achieved widespread popularity in the USA but at the time non existent in Greece and opened up two stores there. That business venture lasted about 20 years before digital cameras and print at home technology rendered the business obsolete and forcing him to repivot to new business venture. It is then that me met the inventor of the MRI, Dr. Raymond Damadian and purchased a stand up MRI machine which had not yet existed in Greece at all and shipped to Thessaloniki to open up a store called Orthomagnitiki with the first stand up MRI in the country which still operates today. In his spare time Louis enjoyed crossword puzzles and sudoku and his favorite TV show was Shark Tank. Louis was pre deceased by his parents Sotiris and Maria, brothers Mimi and John. He is survived by his brother Kriton of the island of Mytillini Greece, two children Grace from Thessoloniki Greece and Steve from Long Island, his previously mentioned step children, cousin Thais Scardino from Cape Cod MA, and many friends from the Pontiun Society and beyond. Viewing takes place at Farenga Funeral Home in Astoria on Monday August 18, from 2-4PM and again from 6-9PM with a funeral mass on Tuesday August 19 at St. Catherine's and St. George Church at 9:30AM followed by burial at All Saints Cemetery in Little Neck NY alongside his brother John who died in 2013.