Pete Steve Calos

Pete Steve Calos, 88, died peacefully October 26, 2019, at home in Hopewell, Virginia. The son of immigrants from the island of Crete, Greece, he and his four siblings were born and raised in Danville, Virginia. They remained close throughout their lives.

Pete graduated from George Washington High School in 1949, and from Virginia Tech in 1954, with a BS in industrial engineering, and as a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. During his school days, he developed an interest in photography, covering high school and college sports for newspapers from Danville to Raleigh, North Carolina. After college, Pete enlisted in the US Army, serving from 1954 to 1957. He was stationed in Paris, France, with the Signal Corps. While in the army, he honed his shooting skills, taking black-and-white photos of iconic European landmarks, which have been displayed in family homes ever since.

After being honorably discharged from the army, Pete married Mary Mitchell, in her native Hopewell. They moved to Martinsville, Virginia, where Pete began his career in industry, with the DuPont Company. Pete and Mary moved back to Hopewell when he took a job in 1960 with Allied Chemical Corporation. They bought a home in the historic City Point neighborhood, overlooking the James and Appomattox rivers, where they raised their family and lived together for the rest of his life, just as Pete always said he wanted. They lived near Mary's parents, who loved Pete like a son, and who he loved like his own.

Pete was immensely proud of his Greek and Virginia heritage, and of his family, as it was of him. Being around Pete was like having Google, before it existed. He always knew the answers to his children's endless questions. Watching him watch Jeopardy confirmed his vast knowledge. He was known to his doting grandchildren as "Papou," from the Greek word. To his many nieces and nephews, "Uncle Pete" was a solid source of quasi-parental advice and non-parental levity.

Weekends were for meandering along the back roads of the commonwealth, where over the years Pete photographed literally every county courthouse, covered bridge, and lighthouse. Mary and one or both of their children were usually in tow, and they delighted in watching him interact with strangers, often feigning to "need directions" as an excuse to get to know people from all walks of life. He did the same thing in other parts of the world during his many travels with Mary and the rest of the family. He always noted how people are more similar than different, despite their cultures.

Back home, Pete was an active member of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Richmond. He served on the parish council, taught Sunday school, and was an integral part of the cathedral's annual festival, exhibiting many of his Greek photos. He loved his adopted hometown, Hopewell, where he served as chairman of the City Point Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, president of the City Point Civic Association, as a member of the Hopewell Board of Zoning Appeals, and as an honorary member of Historic Hopewell Foundation.

After retirement from Allied in 1992, Pete ramped up his travels, in Virginia and elsewhere. He enjoyed sharing the highlights of his adventures, at libraries, schools, civic clubs, and senior centers, and to staff of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. His dry wit made for entertaining programs. The couple's Virginia travels were featured weekly by the local newspaper, in a spread entitled "On the Road with Pete and Mary," and on the PBS television show Virginia Currents. Much of his Virginia photography collection is housed at the Library of Virginia.

Pete is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Mary Mitchell Calos, daughter Kimberly Ann Calos, son Stefan Mitchell Calos, daughter-in-law Amy Ashworth Calos, grandson Samuel Pinkleton, grandson-in-law Andrew Russell, granddaughters Alexa Calos and Ariana Calos, sisters-in-law Cleo Sapon Calos, Margaret Dobbins Calos, Katherine Mitchell Cosmidis, and Gloria Mitchell Lee, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Pete was predeceased by his parents, Anna Maurakis Calos and Efstratios Calos, parents-in-law Garifalia Kolidakis Mitchell and Emmanuel Mitchell, infant daughter Courtney Lane Calos, sister Stella Calos Morris, and brothers Gus Calos, James Calos, and Stavros Calos.

The family will receive friends Sunday, November 3, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home, 820 W. Broadway, Hopewell, where a Greek Orthodox Trisagion service will be held. Pete's funeral will be Monday, November 4, at 11:00 a.m. at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Avenue, Richmond. Burial will follow at Merchant's Hope Memorial Gardens, 11302 Merchants Hope Road, Prince George. Memorial contributions may be made to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23221.