Spiro Theodore Matsos

Spiro Theodore Matsos, age 82, of Wooster, died peacefully on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at LifeCare Hospice in Wooster, after a brief battle with cancer. Spiro was born on October 8, 1941 in Athens, Greece to Vasilios and Vasiliki (Kolokotronis) Matsos. He trained as an electrician and studied vocal performance at the Athens Conservatory before emigrating to the United States in the 1960’s. Spiro served in the U.S. Army and earned the rank of sergeant. Following his military service, he moved to New York City, where he began a successful career as a professional singer. He married Pamela Miller on July 30, 1976. Together, they opened Bulldog Pizza, a popular establishment adjacent to the Yale University campus.

In 1980, Spiro moved his young family to Wooster and opened Matsos Family Restaurant on Liberty Street, which he managed for nearly forty-three years. In addition to his popular pizza, Spiro was proud to introduce traditional Greek recipes, as well as his Greek salad dressing, to the Wooster community. He loved entertaining guests at the restaurant. He will be remembered for performing magic tricks with tableware, serving endless bowls of Neapolitan ice cream, and most of all, spending time with generations of families who came to know him. He particularly delighted in spending time with children at the restaurant, whom he called his “grandfriends.”

Spiro pursued his passion for singing by performing with Ohio Light Opera for forty seasons, longer than any other company member. His memorable appearances on stage became fan-favorites over the decades, cultivating a unique patron experience that paired dining at the restaurant with attending OLO productions. Spiro adorned his restaurant’s walls with OLO production photos, making it a tribute and archive of the company’s near fifty-year history.

Spiro will be remembered as an entrepreneur, a performer, and a charismatic fixture of downtown Wooster. He was a person of faith, proud of his Greek heritage, and a proud American. He was a beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and uncle. Spiro will be deeply missed by his sons, Christopher (Tory) Matsos and Lee Matsos, and grandson, Theodore. He is survived by his brother Christos (Eleni) Matsos of Athens, Greece. Spiro was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Pam.

Friends may call Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Roberts Funeral Home-Sherwood Chapel, Wooster. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at Oak Grove Mennonite Church home (and livestreamed at www.RobertsFuneralHome.com/obituaries/Spiro-Matsos) with Pastor Terry Shue officiating. Burial will be at the Oak Grove cemetery. Online tributes may be made at www.RobertsFuneralHome.com. Memorial Contributions may be made to Ohio Light Opera at https://wooster.edu/support-olo/ , and at Ohio Light Opera, the College of Wooster, 1189 Beall Ave, Wooster, OH 44691.