ORANGE, CT –
Emmanuel (Manuel) Nicolakis of Ansonia CT (formerly Peabody, MA) fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday, November 28, 2024 at the age of 94. He passed peacefully before midnight while listening to the account of Christ’s resurrection from the Gospel of John.
His funeral was held on December 3 at his beloved St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, CT, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
Manuel Nicolakis was born in Heliopolis, Egypt on September 26, 1930 to Dimitrios and Maria Nicolakis, who had emigrated to Cairo, Egypt from the Greek island of Lesvos (Mitilini). He was the fourth of six children, all of whom predeceased him: George, Efstratios, Platon, Eleni, and Stella.
He attended Melachrinos Middle School in Heliopolis and Abet High School in Demerdash. He excelled at volleyball. Along with his brother Platon were the backbone of the Greek Club volleyball team, “Estia.” Their dynamic play propelled Estia to numerous trophies and championships in Egyptian volleyball tournaments.
In 1947, Manuel and Platon became partners of the family business, “D.G. Nicolakis and Fils,” an international import market founded by their father in 1903. The business was a pillar of the family legacy.
Manuel left Egypt in 1963 for Athens and began a career in the hotel industry including the iconic Athens Hilton and Le Château Champlain in Montreal, Canada. It was after immigrating to Montreal where he met his beloved wife, Kaye.
They married at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Peabody, MA on December 28, 1969. The wedding took place during one of the decade’s most brutal Nor’easter blizzards, stranding some guests in transit—including his brother, George.
During the 1980s, he served as co-host on the “Soul of Greece” radio program hosted by Oscar Papanastasiou. Manuel’s humor, quick wit, and skilled wordplay, complemented Oscar’s style, making the Sunday morning program a favorite among the Hellenic community in Massachusetts.
Speaking of wordplay, Manuel loved language. He voraciously explored etymologies and word roots. Lexicons were a staple in his bookcase. He was fluent in Greek, English, Arabic, French, and Spanish.
Manuel’s humor—especially his timing and delivery—were legendary, often incorporating his command of various languages. Encountering Manuel Nicolakis meant leaving with a smile.
He was also gifted with abundant artistic talent that manifested itself daily through impeccable handwriting, rivaling modern computer fonts!
“Anyone who met Manuel fell in love with him instantly. His life was selfless, always putting the needs of others ahead of his own. He personified the Hellenic virtue of “philoxenia” with a cup of coffee and snack ready for anyone who stopped by”, his family notes.
“He especially loved sharing the wisdom of the Greek philosophers, the Holy Scriptures, and modeled a life of prayer—he prayed constantly. His example of faith quietly inspired his son to attend Seminary—Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology”.
He devoted himself to his family, first and foremost to his beloved wife and son, and to his siblings and their children. Granddaughters Ephemia and Kassiani were simply the joy of his life. For years, Manuel and Kaye volunteered their administrative services to the nascent Department of Internet Ministries for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, which his son started in the Metropolis of Boston.
Manuel leaves his beloved wife Catherine of 55 years, his son Theo (Clio), and his granddaughters Ephemia and Kassiani; his sister-in-law Maritsa, and his nieces and nephews, Dimitri (Matilda), Gianni (Rania), Manos (Polina) Nikolakis; and Dimitri (Ioanna) and Amalia Vazelakis, all of Athens, Greece.
