Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

June 10, 2026

ΕΙΣ ΜΑΚΑΡΙΑΝ ΚΟΙΜΗΣΙΝ

ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΛΥΚΟΥΡΓΟΥ ΜΗΝΑΚΑΚΗ

(1940 - 2026)

Μετὰ κλονήτου πίστεως εἰς τὴν Ἀνάστασιν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, εὐλαβῶς ἀναγγέλλομεν τὴν πρὸς Κύριον ἐκδημίαν καὶ μακαρίαν ἀνάπαυσιν τοῦ προσφιλοῦς ἡμῶν Δημητρίου Λυκούργου Μηνακάκη, ὅστις ἐκοιμήθη ἐν Κυρίῳ ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὴν 10ην Ἰουνίου 2026, ἐν Matthews τῆς Βορείου Καρολίνας, ἐν ἡλικίᾳ 86 ἐτών.

Ὁ μεταστὰς ἐγεννήθη τὴν 5ην Μαρτίου 1940 εἰς τὰ Καλύβια Σοχᾶς Σπάρτης, γόνος τῶν ἀειμνήστων Λυκούργου καὶ Πηνελόπης (Ἀντωνάκου) Μηνακάκη. Ἀνατραφεὶς ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου, προσηλωμένος εἰς τὰς ἱερὰς παραδόσεις τῆς πίστεως, τῆς οἰκογενείας καὶ τῆς φιλοπονίας αἵτινες χαρακτηρίζουσιν τὸν εὐσεβῆ λαὸν τῆς Λακωνίας, διετήρησεν ἀλωβήτους τὰς ἀξίας ταύτας καθ’ ὅλον τὸν ἐπίγειον βίον του.

Ὑπηρέτησε μετὰ πάθους καὶ ὑπερηφανείας τὴν φιλτάτην πατρίδα εἰς τὰς τάξεις τοῦ Ἑλληνικοῦ Στρατοῦ, παραμένων ἄχρι τέλους ἀρρήκτως συνδεδεμένος μετὰ τῆς γενεθλίου γῆς καὶ μεριμνῶν μετ’ ἰδιαιτέρας πατρικῆς φροντίδος διὰ τοὺς οἰκογενειακοὺς ἐλαιῶνας καὶ τοὺς πορτοκαλεῶνας. Ἡ πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἀγάπη του ἀπετέλει ἔμπρακτον ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ἐργατικότητος καὶ τῆς ὑπομονῆς του, αἵτινες ἐπεξετείνοντο καὶ εἰς τὸν προσφιλή, ἐτήσιόν του κῆπον· ἐκεῖ, εὑρίσκετο πάντοτε ἐν ἀδιαλείπτῳ κοινωνίᾳ μετὰ τοῦ ἐδάφους, καλλιεργῶν μετὰ ζήλου τὰς ρίζας ἃς ὁ ἴδιος ἐφύτευσεν ἐδῶ, εἰς τὰς Ἡνωμένας Πολιτείας.

Ἐν Ἑλλάδι, ὁ Δημήτριος συνεζεύχθη μετὰ τῆς ἐκλεκτῆς τῆς καρδίας του, Παναγιώτας (Πίτσας), ἐγκαινιάζοντας μίαν συζυγίαν ἀδιατάρακτον, ἡ ὁποία ἔμελλε να διαρκέσῃ ἐπὶ δεκαετίας καὶ νὰ γεφυρώσῃ ἠπείρους. Ὁμοῦ, ἐβοήθησαν ἀλλήλοις νὰ ἀνοίξωσι νέον κεφάλαιον εἰς τὴν ζωήν των, μεταναστεύσαντες εἰς τὰς Ἡνωμένας Πολιτείας πρὸς ἀναζήτησιν κρείττονος μέλλοντος διὰ τὴν οἰκογένειάν των.

Διακριθείς ὡς σεβαστὸς καὶ ἐγκριτος ἐπιχειρηματίας εἰς τὸν χῶρον τῆς ἐστιάσεως ἐν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τοῦ Σάρλοτ (Charlotte), ὁ Δημήτριος κατέστησεν τὸ ὄνομά του συνώνυμον τῆς ἀβραμιαίας φιλοξενίας, τῆς γενναιοδωρίας καὶ τῆς ἀόκνου ἐργασίας. Ἀκολούθως, συνέχισε τὸ ἔργον του παραπλεύρως τῆς οἰκογενείας του εἰς τὴν ἰδιόκτητον ἐπιχείρησιν ἐπεξεργασίας κρέατος, ἔνθα ἡ σοφία, ἡ ἡγετική του φυσιογνωμία καὶ ἡ ἀφοσίωσίς του ἔθεσαν τὰ στερεὰ θεμέλια διὰ τὰς ἐπερχομένας γενεάς.

Ὑπεράνω πάντων ὅμως, ὁ Δημήτριος ὑπήρξεν ἀφοσιωμένος σύζυγος, φιλόστοργος πατήρ, ὑπερήφανος πάππος καὶ εὐσεβὴς Ὀρθόδοξος Χριστιανός. Ἀντλοῦσε τὴν μεγίστην αὐτοῦ χαρὰν ἐκ τῆς οἰκογενειακῆς ἑστίας, θησαυρίζων ἑκάστην στιγμὴν μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων του. Ἡ ψυχικὴ αὐτοῦ δύναμις, ἡ χρηστότης τοῦ θρησκευτικοῦ του ήθους, ἡ ἀκλόνητος πίστις καὶ ἡ ἀνιδιοτελὴς ἀγάπη του καταλείπονται ὡς αἰωνία παρακαταθήκη.

Προαπεβίωσαν αὐτοῦ οἱ προσφιλεῖς αὐτοῦ γονεῖς, Λυκοῦργος καὶ Πηνελόπη Μηνακάκη· οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, Σταῦρος καὶ Σαράντος· καὶ ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ, Εὐθυμία.

Ἐπιζῶσιν αὐτοῦ ἡ πολυαγαπημένη αὐτοῦ σύζυγος, Πίτσα (Καπερώνη) Μηνακάκη· οἱ προσφιλεῖς αὐτοῦ υἱοί, Λυκοῦργος (Larry) Μηνακάκης καὶ Γεώργιος Μηνακάκης· τὰ λατρευτὰ αὐτοῦ ἔκγονα, Παναγιώτα (Ἄννα Μαρία) Μηνακάκη καὶ Δημήτριος Μηνακάκης· ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί ἀγαπημένοι συγγενείς, ἀναδεξίμια καὶ φίλοι ἐν ταῖς Ἡνωμέναις Πολιτείαις καὶ τῇ Ἑλλάδι, οἵτινες θὰ στερηθῶσι τῆς φυσικῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας.

Ἡ Ἐξόδιος Ἀκολουθία ψαλήσεται τὴν Τετάρτην, 17ην Ἰουνίου 2026 καὶ ὥραν 10:00 π.μ. εἰς τὸν Ἱερὸν Καθεδρικὸν Ναὸν τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδος (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC). Ἡ οἰκογένεια θὰ δέχεται συλλυπητήρια ἐντὸς τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Ναοῦ μίαν ὥραν πρὸ τῆς ἐνάρξεως τῆς Ἀκολουθίας (9:00 π.μ.). Θὰ ἀκολουθήσῃ ὁ ἐνταφιασμὸς εἰς τὸ κοιμητήριον Evergreen Cemetery.

Ἀντὶ στεφάνων, παρακαλοῦνται οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντες ὅπως προσφέρωσι δωρεὰς εἰς μνήμην τοῦ Δημητρίου ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ταμείου Ψαλτῶν τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Ναοῦ (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral “Chanters’ Fund,” 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC, 28203).

Αἰωνία αὐτοῦ ἡ μνήμη.

In Loving Memory

Demetrios Lykourgos Minakakis

(1940 - 2026)

CHARLOTTE – With faith in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we announce the peaceful repose of Demetrios Lykourgos Minakakis of Matthews, NC, fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 86.

Demetrios was born on March 5, 1940, in Kalyvia Sohas, Sparta, Greece, to the late Lykourgos and Penelope (Antonakou) Minakakis.  Raised in the rich traditions of faith, family, and hard work that characterize the people of Laconia, he carried those values with him throughout his life.  He proudly served his country in the Greek Army and remained deeply connected to his roots, taking great pride in caring for his family's olive orchards and orange groves.  His love for the land reflected his strong work ethic and perseverance which extended to his cherished annual garden where he cultivated the roots he planted here in the United States.

In Greece, Demetrios married the love of his life, Panagiota (Pitsa), beginning a devoted marriage that would span decades and continents.  Together, they embarked on a new chapter when they emigrated to the United States in pursuit of opportunity and a brighter future for their family.

A respected and well-known restaurateur in the Charlotte community, Demetrios built a reputation for hospitality, generosity, and dedication. Later, he continued his life's work alongside his family in their family-built meat processing business.

Above all, Demetrios was a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather, and faithful Orthodox Christian. He found his greatest joy in his family and treasured every moment spent with those he loved.

Demetrios was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Lykourgos and Penelope Minakakis; his brothers, Stavros and Sarantos; and his sister, Efthimia.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Pitsa (Kaperonis) Minakakis; his loving sons, Larry Minakakis and George Minakakis; his cherished grandchildren, Panagiota (Anna Maria) Minakakis and Dimitri Minakakis; and many beloved relatives, godchildren, and friends in the United States and Greece who will deeply miss him.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Demetrios to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral “Chanters’ Fund,” 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC, 28203.

May his memory be eternal.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.