Dr. Elias Demetrios Dekazos

Dr.  Elias Demetrios Dekazos, 99, of Merkovounio, Tripolis, Greece, passed away peacefully on Monday March 2, 2020 in Athens, Georgia. He was the beloved husband of the late Frieda [nee Cochanes], devoted father of Elena, Panos (Eleni Karytinou) and the late Demetrios, proud grandfather of Candice and Shana Fulton and beloved family member and friend to many in Greece and the United States. After earning his Diploma in Agriculture with honors from the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece, he immigrated to the United States where he earned both a Master of Science and Doctorate from the University of California. In the US, he was a renowned Research Scientist at the R. Russell Agriculture Center at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, was an Instructor of Botany at Univ. of Chicago, and was a respected Lecturer of Biochemistry at Loyola University in Chicago, IL. In Greece, he served as an Agriculturist of the Agricultural Bank of Greece, Professor of Agriculture at the Pedagogical Academy of Tripolis, and was a respected Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Pomology at Agricultural University of Athens from where he earned Emeritus Professor status upon his retirement.

Among his many acknowledgments, he received the Personalities of the South Award, the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, a Certificate of Merit from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and was recognized for his work by the Georgia Blueberry Association. He was a published author of a series of scientific books, many scholarly articles, and memoirs for himself and his departed son Demetrios. In addition to his personal and professional accomplishments, Dr. Dekazos will be remembered most for his ‘go-getter’ attitude, his wit, his dynamic personality, and his love for Frieda.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2020 from 6 to 9 pm at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, 4355 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605. Trisagion will be held at 7:30 pm. Dr. Dekazos will be buried in his homeland in Greece.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St.  Philothea Greek Orthodox Church Capital Campaign, 3761 Mars Hill Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677.

Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com