Former Antioch, Pittsburg restaurateur George Carasis passes at 96
Owned George’s & Matchmaker
Services April 19
George Nikolas Carasis, lovingly known to both family and friends as “Pappou” (Greek for Grandpa), passed away on March 16th, 2026, at the age of 96, after a long and full life defined by resilience, humor, and deep love for his family.
George was a man who loved the simple joys in life – tending to his garden, fishing and hunting, caring for animals, and walking his loyal German Shepherd, Bobo, well into his nineties. His pastimes truly reflected his steady grounded spirit, which carried him from a small village in Greece to a full life in America.
Born in 1929 in the village of Pasa, Greece, George was raised in a one-room home by his parents, Nikolas and Efrosini, alongside his six siblings: Sotiria, Panayiota, Eleni, Dimitri, Tasos, and Alexandra. His childhood was shaped by rural village life, and he lived through extraordinary historical events, including the Italian and German fascist occupations of Greece and the Greek Civil War. Yet even in hardship, his early years were filled with stories that he enjoyed telling for decades – from being given a flock of sheep as punishment for skipping school, to the long and mountainous trek by horseback with his father to see a medicine man when he mysteriously lost all of his hair (a remedy that seemed to work, as he managed to keep a full head of hair for the rest of his life). As a teenager in Greece, George apprenticed as a barber and even opened his own shop in his village, before serving as a military barber in the Greek Army.
In 1955, however, with only a few dollars in his pocket and no knowledge of English, he boarded an airplane for the first time and immigrated to the United States. California became his new home, joining his uncle Alex in the Bay Area. He began working in a canning factory in San Leandro, before eventually making his way into the restaurant industry, where he began his successful career as a restaurateur.
He began his first establishment inside of the Pittsburg Clover Club, opening the night club each morning for a daily breakfast that he barely broke a profit on. Determined to stick to it, he later founded the first restaurant of his own in Pittsburg, which he aptly named George’s, and building on that success, went on to open the Matchmaker in Antioch, and, finally, a new George’s Restaurant in Antioch. He became known community-wide for his hospitality and exceptional food and was frequently stopped in public well into his retirement years when people recognized him as the owner of the restaurants that held so many classic memories for them.
Together with his first wife, Claudette, he raised three children: Arthur, Alexandria, and Nick, who were the pride of his life. George was also blessed to have gotten many years with his grandchildren- Nikki, Christina, Alexandria, Katrina, Randy, George, and Cecilia, as well as his great-grandchildren- Basil, Liberty, Calliope, Indigo, and Elizabeth.
He treasured going on outings for milkshakes and fries with his great-granddaughters and proudly led Greek dances at his granddaughter’s wedding. He even got to attend his eldest great-grandchild’s high school graduation.
Though he endured the unimaginable loss of all three of his children before his own passing, as well as the loss of his wife Patricia, he had a love for his family that was unparalleled. After the death of his daughter, he stepped into the role of caregiver to raise his granddaughter, Christina, during his retirement years. In doing so, he was able to pass on the connection to his Greek heritage and language to her, and to her children, which is something she will cherish forever.
Deeply proud of this heritage, George found great joy in seeing his family reconnect with their ancestral homeland. After a 28-year absence since his previous visit, he chose to spend his final weeks in his family’s village, reconnecting with loved ones there one last time. He was buried on March 17th, 2026 in the Pasa village cemetery, alongside his sister Eleni, his brother Taso, their parents, and grandparents.
In the Greek tradition, we memorialize those who have passed by saying, “αιώνια η μνήμη του”, or “may his memory be eternal.”
In the life he built, the stories he told, the family he nurtured, and the legacy he leaves behind, George’s memory will indeed be eternal.
Although his funeral was held in his home village in Greece, a memorial service with 40th day prayers will be observed at 3:30pm on April 19th at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 1955 Kirker Pass Rd., Concord, CA.
All are welcome to attend, and a memorial gathering with light refreshments will be offered in the hall following the prayers, for all those who loved him here in California.
the attachments to this post:
George Carasis photos A
George Carasis photos B
Pappou memorial invite – 1
George Nikolas Carasis obit header
