Kokalis, Peter George 82, of Phoenix, Arizona passed away peacefully on January 11, 2017. He was born on June 20, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois to George and Evelyn (Houseas) Kokalis. He graduated from
Northwestern University and later served his country as a member of the US Army. He worked in his father's grocery business, Sure Save Food Marts, overseeing the advertising for the firm and later worked in advertising for the Chicago Tribune. His father introduced him to the love of his life, Matina Karkazis and they enjoyed 56 years of marriage. In 1962, the family moved to Phoenix where he worked with his father in real estate development. Peter, along with his family, were active parishioners at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, having previously served on the parish council and remaining an active member of AHEPA. Peter also found a calling as a photojournalist and worked as an editor for Soldier of Fortune and Firearms News, authoring hundreds of articles over the past 35 years. He took great pride in the fact that he was still actively working right up until his death. In his spare time, Peter was an avid reader and collector of military memorabilia. He loved his country and remained vigilant about his patriotism throughout his life. Peter frequently loved watching movies, and especially enjoyed doing so with his wife and grandchildren. He continued to be a loyal sports fan to his beloved Chicago athletic teams and was fortunate enough to see the Cubs win the World Series. He is survived by his beloved wife, Matina; his three children, George Kokalis, Eve (Robert) Danoff and Jason Kokalis; his grandchildren, Michael (Tiffany) Flores, Cody Kokalis, Max and Sam Danoff and Zoe Kokalis. In addition, he is survived by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins in the United States and Greece and many friends throughout the world. He will be greatly missed. Private services were held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral or to the .
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