Alex Sunday Kiriakides Jr.

GREENVILLE - Alex Sunday Kiriakides, Jr., 94, husband of Catherine Doumlele Kiriakides, died Thursday, November 27, 2008, at his residence.

“Mr. Alex,” as he was known, was born in Asia Minor in 1914, the son of the late Alexander and Marica Haji-Oglou Kiriakides. He arrived at Ellis Island in 1921 at the age of seven.

He graduated from Greenville High School in 1933 and attended the Citadel for 2 years.

One of the first in the vending business, he bought his first cigarette machine in the 1930’s, experienced the depression era which made a lasting impact on his work ethic and served in the U.S. Army during World War II where he trained new recruits as a second lieutenant.

Older Greenvillians knew him as “Jocko.” He was a member of Green Valley Country Club where he “schooled” the younger generations in the game of Gin Rummy.

In his early years, he was instrumental with other young Greenvillians in building YMCA Camp Greenville. In the 1970’s he served on the SC State Ports Authority Board.

Mr. Kiriakides was the owner of Atlas Food Systems and Service Inc. Over the years, Atlas Vending employed as many as four hundred people. He was still working up to one month of his passing.

He was a member of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

He was a loving father, a businessman, an entrepreneur, and inventor, and had always expressed a deep patriotic love for America.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two daughters, Mary Ann Kiriakides and Cathy Cannon and husband Henry; two sons, Alex Kiriakides III and wife Suzanne and Michael W. Kiriakides and wife Debbie; two sisters, Louise Kiriakides and Libby Sfiris; a brother, John Kiriakides; and seven grandchildren, all of Greenville.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the building fund of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 406 N. Academy Street, Greenville, SC 29601.

Visitation will be held Friday, November 28, 2008, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Trisagion Service at 7:00 p.m. at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown. The funeral service will be held Saturday, November 29, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park.

Serving as pallbearers will be Stan Tzouvelekas, Jamie Tzouvelekas, John Cannon, Nick Theodore, Steve Trakas, Jimmy Melehes, Spero Conits and Dr. Pete Manos.

The family will be at the residence.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.