Jack Pappas

1930 - 2021

PAPPAS, Jack Louis born Epiphany Day, January 6, 1930, in Tarpon Springs, FL to Louis Michael and Flora Pappas, passed peacefully in his home on September 2, 2021 at the age of 91. Growing up in Tarpon Springs "Jackie" met and married his wife Nickoletta "Nickie" Orfanides Pappas in 1951. As a young man, he played football earning the first athletic scholarship at Tarpon Springs High School. On scholarship to the University of Florida Jack played football as a defensive tackle for the Gators from 1949-1951. He became one of the Golden Era Gator Greats. As a young man, he worked alongside his family in the original Louis Pappas Riverside Cafe that his father started in 1925. Jackie and his brothers grew their business, and in 1975 they built a thousand-seat restaurant known as The World Famous Pappas Restaurant. He dabbled in real estate development, such as The Port Tarpon Marina and the Sponge Exchange, to name a few. In the early 90's he spearheaded the renovation of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, one of his proudest achievements. Throughout his life, he loved boating, fishing, hunting and spent much of his free time at Crockett Lake Ranch and with his horses at Pappas Ranch. Jackie was a fun-loving, generous-hearted man who loved food, his family, and his wife of 61 years, Nickie. He will be missed by his family, friends, and community. Jack is survived by his sister, Katherine Pappas Gray; his five children, Angela Zeiss, Leah Pappas-Neil, Flora Sawyer, Alexandra Gould, Louis Jack Pappas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Dobies FH/Tarpon Springs