Argirios Takis Kazakos of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, world traveler, devoted family man, tireless worker, skilled handyman and lover of vanilla ice cream, passed away at the age of 83 on Feb. 3, 2020 surrounded by his family.

Takis was born on a farm in Pikrolimni, Greece on Feb. 10, 1936 and remained fiercely proud of his Greek heritage throughout his entire life. He spoke often of his childhood during World War II, when his home was occupied for a time by German soldiers. His sense of adventure and love of the sea emerged at a young age and at age 12 he left home to live with relatives in Athens so he could study maritime engineering. As a young man, he joined the merchant marines and traveled all over the world, to places like Japan, Egypt, British Columbia, Australia, the U.S and through the Panama Canal, before serving in the Greek Navy.

After getting married to Yvonne Spandoni, Takis’ spirit of adventure led them to Prince Edward Island, Canada where he worked in a shipyard, and eventually transferred to Boothbay Harbor to build a foundation for his family. He became a U.S. citizen (during the year of the bicentennial, no less!), bought a house and for the next 20 years created a warm and inviting home which became the social center for his children and their friends where they gathered for many slumber parties, sports and games and basement band practices, while Takis served as chief of maintenance at his beloved Spruce Point Inn. Throughout his life, this home remained a very important symbol of his pride for achieving a better life for his family in America.

Takis loved being social and in later years could often be found holding court with his Greek friends at the Boothbay House of Pizza, smiling, greeting customers and telling the same jokes over and over — always laughing as if it were the first time. In his later years he was slowed by dementia, and received warm and generous care from the People Helping People Program/Boothbay Community Center, Elder Independence of Maine, The Boothbay Greens and Sedgewood Commons, an Alzheimer’s and Dementia nursing home in Falmouth, all to whom he and his family were extremely grateful.

Takis is deeply missed and remembered by his three children, George Kazakos, Arelitsa Kazakos and Nikos Kazakos and his 5 grandchildren, whom he adored.

In Takis’ memory, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boothbay Community Center, 185 Townsend Ave. Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. at Hall’s of Boothbay, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay. A reception will follow at Hall’s.

Hall’s of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com