Alexander Charles Booras

1923 - 2018

Alexander Charles Booras

Shreveport, La / Dallas, TX - Alexander Charles Booras, 95, of Shreveport, LA, and Dallas, TX, passed away peacefully Sunday, October 21, 2018, surrounded by his family.

Alex was born in Shreveport, LA, on August 14, 1923, the first of four sons whose immigrant parents, Penne and Charlie Booras, were both from Asia Minor. During the Great Depression, life was a financial struggle, but the Boorases endured through strong faith as Greek Orthodox Christians. The heart of their immigrant community life was St. George Greek Orthodox Church at 1719 Creswell Ave.

Tragedy struck in 1935, when Charlie died suddenly at age 44 of a ruptured appendix. With his death came a struggle for the family of Penne, Aunt Ella Booras, and the four young boys to survive. Needing money, Alex and his brother Dan went to work selling monthly magazines door to door. They made $.01 profit per magazine. They became 'paper boys' and woke up at 3 a.m. each morning to deliver 130 newspapers. The boys learned the value of work and discipline. Two years after Charlie's death, the family used a $250 life insurance policy as down payment on a new home at 615 Olive St. near the church. Alex went to work at age 14 for his Uncle Pete Angelos at Dixie Coffee. He received a hardship license to drive truck deliveries for the company after school. All the boys worked early in the morning, ate breakfast of watered-down hot chocolate and bread, walked to school, and again worked after school.

Four years after Charlie's death, Penne became ill and died in February 1940. The boys, now 16, 15, 13, and 9, were considered orphans. The boys' godfathers, Sam Mijalis and Gus Cosse, went to authorities and helped convince the state to leave all brothers (even 9 year old Sammy) in their family home under the care of Aunt Ella.

C.E. Byrd High School granted Alex a 'hardship case' graduation his junior year so he could work at Dixie Coffee fulltime. Alex became the head of the Booras household and sole guardian of his brothers, Dan, George, and Sammy. World War II began and Alex enlisted in the Army in 1942. Alex's Uncle Harry Booras, head of the Selective Service Board in Shreveport, told him, "You won't be selling coffee in the Army! I'm signing you up for radio school." Alex served in the Army Signal Corps, attached to the Air Corps, in Iceland and the States and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1946.

Upon returning from the war and with their service checks in hand, Alex and his brother Dan went to First National Bank to pay off the full balance of the 615 Olive St. house loan. The banker commended them on a "job well done," saying he was proud of their hard work and accomplishment. From 1960 to 1976, the Booras brothers bought the three lots adjoining their property to establish the "Booras Family Subdivision". Community Renewal's "Highland Friendship House", a family center and home that builds positive relationships and love to at-risk youth and their families, just as it did for the Booras family, is now located on this property.

Alex also returned to work at Dixie Coffee, officially beginning his career as a proud Shreveport businessman. In 1947, he and his brother George became proud owners of Dixie Coffee, renaming the business as Caddo Coffee & Café Supply Company located at 203 Milam Street. A few years later, his brother Sammy joined them at Caddo. The three brothers worked side by side to serve Shreveport, Bossier City, and the surrounding areas with restaurant and bar supply needs, and of course, coffee. Sadly, George passed away in 1980. George's son Charlie stepped in as his partner. Alex continued to work until his retirement in 2007 when he moved to Dallas to live with his daughters. However, his love and daily interest in Caddo as an owner kept him involved with the thriving Shreveport-Bossier restaurant, casino, and business community from afar. Seventy years at Caddo was not work for Alex; it was a dedication to friendships and the joy of personally serving his restaurant family, including three special "sons" - Ernest Palmisano, Dominic Cordaro and Jake Duplantis.

The foundation of his life was always his Greek Orthodox faith. He met the love of his life, Sylvia Cosse, through his Greek Orthodox community, and they married in 1954. Together they created a home at 186 Leo Avenue raising four daughters. As a lifetime member of the St. George Greek Orthodox Church, he participated as an altar boy, a choir member, a fundraiser, the Easter Egg Hunt coordinator, and a Parish Council member, President, and Secretary. His service as a member of the church's auditing committee for over 35 years was only surpassed by his service as the permanent chairman of the church's cemetery committee for over 60 years. He leaves to all an example of a dedicated Christian servant with a positive attitude of hope, love, and joy for Christ and his fellow man.

Interwoven with his church life was his philanthropic work through the Greek-American organization AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.) He was a charter member of AHEPA's junior order, Sons of Pericles William Helis Chapter #151 of Shreveport in 1937. Initiated in AHEPA Chapter #8 in 1946, Alex served 4 terms as Chapter President (1948, 1960, 1961, and 1974), was co-chairman of three District #16 Conventions in Shreveport, and honored as District #16 AHEPAN of the Year 1961. His major leadership contributions through his local Chapter #8 were numerous, including convention book ad solicitor, membership recruiter for thirty-five years, life-long AHEPA dues collector, and perpetual raffle ticket salesman. In 1963, he was elected District #16 Governor, and served as the Treasurer of the Past District #16 Governor's Club for 35 years. Alex ultimately was elected to the National Supreme Lodge in 1973 as a Supreme Governor, and he was on the Executive Committee for the AHEPA Supreme Convention in 1987. During the last several years of his life while living in Dallas, TX with his daughters, Alex continued his love and support of AHEPA by attending the Dallas Chapter #20 meetings and activities. It was a joyful and emotional occasion at the New Orleans National Convention in July 2014 when the organization honored Alex with the AHEPA Lifetime Achievement Award. The brotherhood declared him AXIOS! (Worthy!)

Over his long life of 95 years, Alex had a deep love for baseball, food, socializing, and dancing. As a true Southern gentleman, he said, "It was my job to ask everyone to dance. You wouldn't want anyone to be left out." Everyone was amazed by Alex's arithmetic skills as a human calculator. Always friendly, Alex never met a stranger and greeted everyone with a perpetual twinkle in his eyes of hope and faith - his "Libby" glass always half full. His favorite hobby was to write handwritten cards to family and friends, "wishing you love, prosperity, and a healthy life".

He was preceded in death by his beautiful wife and dance partner of 46 years, Sylvia Cosse Booras; parents, Charles and Penne Booras; aunt, Ella Booras; brothers, Dan and George Booras; sister-in-law, Nikki Booras; brother-in-law, John James Cosse; and nephews, Stan and Danny Booras.

The patriarch of the Booras Family, Alex leaves to carry on his legacy, his four daughters, Penne and husband Gary Collett, Katina and husband Kerry Tassopoulos, Deanna and husband Dean Xeros, and Demmye Booras; his brother Sammy Booras and wife Katina, sisters-in-law Sophia Booras and Marie Cosse; his grandchildren, Dr. Garen Collett and wife Sarah, Alexis Collett Ramos and husband Benjamin, Elly Collett Devine and husband Dustin, Harrison Tassopoulos, Cynthia Tassopoulos, Alexander Tassopoulos, Basil Xeros and wife Eleni, Demmye Xeros, and his great-granddaughter Garland Rose Ramos; cousin Katy Calogeras; godchildren Stan Kirkikis, Georgia Booras, Kris Diane Malachias McGee, Catherine Cosse McInnis, Samuel Norton and numerous beloved nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

Honoring Alexander as pallbearers were Dr. Garen Collett, Harrison Tassopoulos, Basil Xeros, Alexander Tassopoulos, Benjamin Ramos, Dustin Devine, Chris Booras, and Steven Booras. Serving as honorary Pallbearers were Peter Burland of Houston, Alex Booras of Frisco, TX, Emmanuel Stravolemos of Louisville, KY, Dr. Spiro Cosse, Leon Demopulos, Socrates Lorant, Jimmy Cosse of Kansas City, Charlie Booras, Tommy Booras of Bowling Green, KY, Bobby Booras, Pat Booras, and Stan Kirkikis of Ruston, LA,

The family would like to express their sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Alex's guardian angels, Dr. William Christensen, and his two devoted care-takers, LaTonya Lowe and Elizabeth Okumu.

Visitation was held from 5p.m. to 7p.m., Thursday, October 25, 2018 at Kilpatrick's Rose-Neath Marshall Street Chapel with a Trisagion Service at 7 p.m. Funeral Services were held at 12 noon, Friday, October 26, 2018 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church at 1719 Creswell Street with Fr. Ioannis Krokos officiating. Burial followed at Greenwood Cemetery and afterwards a traditional "Makaria" luncheon was held in the St. George Community Center.

The family suggests donations may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1719 Creswell Ave., Shreveport, LA 71101.