Konstantinos KOSMAS

KOSMAS, Konstantinos "Dino" February 22, 1944 - April 30, 2008 Konstantinos "Dino" Kosmas, age 64, of Saskatoon passed away on April 30, 2008 after a short spirited battle with cancer. He had his family by his side. Born in Kastri, Greece on February 22, 1944 to Kosmas and Efthimia Kosmas, Konstantinos was the oldest of four boys. He attended school in Greece and made many lifelong friendships with the people of his village and surrounding area. He lived in Germany for a short time before he joined the Greek Army at age eighteen. He drove a taxi in Athens for a while before deciding it was time to move. With very little money, he immigrated to Adelaide, Australia in 1967 where he worked at Chrysler, as a metal finisher, as well as a freelance photographer. He took time for fun and relaxation, taking photography and fishing on the weekends. He married in Adelaide and started a family. Never one to sit still or wait around, he followed his brothers to Saskatoon in 1976. He was proud to become a Canadian citizen in 1980. A strong work ethic paid off, enabling Dino to buy his own restaurant that same year. Owning a restaurant and cooking came easily for him. Dino's great passion for food and cooking was even stronger than his accent! He is survived by his two sons, Kos (Keri), and Hristos as well as granddaughters Efthimia and Anastasia all of Saskatoon. Also surviving him are his three brothers, Vlasi of Saskatoon, George of Calgary and Albert (Vicky) of Astros, Greece. Dino leaves behind numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, godchildren and his dear friends. A strong, passionate person, Dino put his all and excellence into everything he did. Dino's ethics and style inspired those around him. Dino worked hard for his family, always with the goal of making a better life for those he loved. He was always a gracious host. Dino made preparing huge Greek feasts look easy and guests were always made to feel comfortable and relaxed. He often opened up his home to relatives and enjoyed entertaining them, taking them to all his favorite places. Some of Dino's fondest travel memories were of trips with his family to Greece, Florida, the Rocky Mountains and Niagara Falls as well as day trips to Blackstrap and Pike Lake where friends and family would gather. He also enjoyed frequent, short trips to seek out the finest lamb, feta and olives in the region. Dino loved gardening. He took great pride each year in his impressive harvest of apples, raspberries, and tomatoes. He looked forward to his regular visits with his friends at the restaurant and counted on his friends to stop in and visit him. Many friends came to visit him each morning for coffee and the regular Sunday night "Greekfests" were times Dino looked forward to. A generous person, Dino was always happy to help someone less fortunate than himself; just to make their life a little easier made him feel good. At the same time, he was always modest and felt strongly about equality. Still a big kid at heart, he enjoyed taking his grandkids shopping for toys. He loved cars, especially German cars; anything German, actually. As he said, "The Best"! Dino could quote the Bible and really enjoyed religious as well as political debates, especially over a good cup of coffee. The debate did not have to be serious; he just enjoyed joking around with friends, talking about life. Dino will forever hold a place in our hearts. A Father, Grandfather "Pappou", Uncle "Theo", friend and businessman, Dino will be missed by so many as there were so many lives he touched. He was an original. There will really never be anyone like him. We celebrate his memory. A Prayer Service will be held Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. from ACADIA DRIVE FUNERAL CHAPEL (915 Acadia Drive, Saskatoon, SK). The Funeral Service will be held Thursday May 8, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. from Koimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church (1020 Dufferin Avenue, Saskatoon, SK). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (400, 2631 - 28 Avenue, Regina, SK S4S 6X3) or the Canadian Cancer Society (438 - 2 Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 2C3). Arrangements have been entrusted to Chris Nickell, ACADIA DRIVE FUNERAL CHAPEL. Telephone: 1-306-955-1600. Published in the Calgary Herald on 5/6/2008