Manuel "Mike" Vasilakes' Obituary
Manuel P. “Mike” Vasilakes, age 95, passed away December 26, 2023. Loving husband to Nike Hoty Vasilakes (deceased) from 1959-1980 and Dr. Mary Petrelli Vasilakes (deceased) from 1990-2021. Dear son of the late Prodromos and Argero Vasilakes (née Deskes). Cherished son-in-law of the late Antony and Argero Hoty (née Kackludis). Beloved father of Argerie Vasilakes (Paul Landefeld Jr.) and Antonia Gates (David). Grandfather of Amanda Kuhrt (Randy). Brother of Grace Pasiadis (deceased). Uncle of Christopher Pasiadis (deceased) (Vanessa), Marian Pasiadis, Jeanne Patitsas (Nicholas), Cathy Beckman (Terry), Peter Millett (Anna Antoniou), Roger Hoty (Jeannie), Barb Rose, Antony P. Hoty (Jo-Ann), Dee Hoty (Sam Freed), John Decaneas (deceased), Tony Decaneas (Nanny, deceased) (Ellen), Peter Decaneas (Karen), James Nenopoulos (Kathleen), Tony Nenopoulos, Mindy Verenis (Nick), Argerie Hoty (Andy Holman), Pam Jacobsen, Tony M. Hoty (deceased), and Joanna Russell (Tom). Survived by many others here and abroad.
After graduating as an electrical engineer from Case Institute of Technology, Mike served in the Army from 1954-1956. At Fort Huachuca, Arizona, he was part of the Scientific and Professional program, analyzing captured military equipment.
After his honorable discharge, he entered the field of Industrial Publicity. “I liked the writing end of engineering,” he said and penned thousands of trade journal articles for his business clients that included Parker Hannifin, BF Goodrich and Bailey Meter. Later he joined Penton Publishing and retired as chief editor of Specialty Gas Report.
Mike’s lifetime service to the Greek Orthodox church and community earned him a St. Photios award in 2023. With Themistocles Rodis, he co-authored Greeks Americans of Cleveland: Immigration and Assimilation Since 1870, now in its 4th edition. That work would also help launch a Greek Cultural Center, still in the planning stages. He was an officer of the American Hellenic Community of Greater Cleveland board of directors, then of the parish council of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. He was a founding member and first president of Greek Orthodox Youth of America (GOYA) in Cleveland. A church choir singer since 1947, he was an early president of the Mid-Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians (MEFGOX), the oldest continuing church music federation in the Archdiocese of America. He was the choir director of the Annunciation Church for ten years and was that church’s festival emcee for 25 years. He also volunteered at the Saints Constantine and Helen festival. He wrote and edited various community newsletters in the 1940s and more recently edited the Koinonoia — the Saints Constantine and Helen monthly newsletter – for 15 years.
A long-time resident of Lakewood, Ohio, Mike served on that city’s school board for two years, one year as president. His term coincided with the beginning of the planning phase for the expansion of the school system, completed in 2017. While both daughters were students at the high school, Mike took on the role of chairman of the fruit drive, one year raising $30,000 for the Lakewood High School Music Dept.
Funeral service at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3352 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Hts., 44118, where the family will receive friends 11:30 a.m. until time of service. Rev. Dr. Stephen Callos officiating. Lunch will follow the service at the church. Private burial. Donations welcomed to support the planned Hellenic Cultural Center of Cleveland – make checks out to Next One Hundred Years, Annunciation GOC.
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