Peter Stavros Peterson

Peterson, Peter Stavros 11 September 1934 – 31 March 2017
Peter S. Peterson (Panayiotis Stavros Psarakis), 82, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday, 31 March 2017, after a lengthy illness. He was born to the late Stavros and Stavroula Psarakis, in Athens, Greece.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Mary Peterson (Papagiorgiou), their three children: two daughters Stavroula Psaraki Conrad (Christopher) and Angela Peterson Livanos (Arsenios) and son Steve Stavros Psarakis (Stefanie), all living in Virginia, and six grandchildren: Andreas and Nikitas Panayiotis Conrad, Caroline Panayiota and Maria Psarakis, living in Virginia; Kalli and Evangelos Livanos living in Athens, Greece; his niece Ioanna (Solon) Angelakis, and two nephews Manolis (Aspa) Angelakis and Stavros (Marilena) Angelakis. He is predeceased by his sister Marina (Giorgos) Angelakis of Athens, Greece.
As a child surviving both World War II and the Greek Civil War, Peter later served in the Greek Navy for two years. He learned to be a chef from his father, and took over the family’s restaurant in Athens at age 17, when his father became ill. Peter emigrated to Detroit, Michigan in October 1966, working as a chef in Greek Town. He learned English, worked very long hours, established a home and then brought his wife and three young children from Greece in 1968. He went on to establish his own restaurants in Michigan – Peter’s Family Restaurant in Farmington Hills and The Heritage in Union Lake. Peter and his signature recipes were featured several times on local television. He retired and relocated with his wife to Virginia, to be close to his children and grandchildren. He was a devoted parishioner at Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church in Manassas.
Funeral service will be Saturday, 1 April, 11 A.M. at Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church, 8911 Weems Road, Manassas, Virginia. The burial will take place at The Sacred Monastery of Saint Nina, 9002 Clemsonville Road, Union Bridge, Maryland, with the traditional Makaria luncheon following.
Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to:
Orthodox Worker, Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church, 8911 Weems Road, Manassas, Virginia 20110.
May his memory be eternal!