Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

September 16, 2026

Anastasios C. Nakos, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, at Atrium Health Pineville, NC surrounded by his adoring family.

Born on June 1, 1947, in the village of Vlasi, Greece, Taso’s life began with a journey that would shape the man he became. At just three years old, he fled Greece, as a war refugee, with his parents, Christos K. Nakos and Hariklia R. Nakos, and his three siblings. On January 11, 1951, they arrived at Ellis Island in New York aboard the SS LaGuardia, eventually making their way to Williamson, West Virginia.

He was the dearly loved younger brother to Lambros, Vicki, and Theofanis. Together, the siblings excelled in school before eventually leaving Williamson, WV for Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from high school, Taso proudly answered the call to serve his adopted country by joining the United States Army. He served in Vietnam and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. His service was something he carried with pride throughout his life.

But perhaps the greatest adventure of Taso’s life began after his military service, when he traveled to Greece to attend a wedding. There, he met Eleni, the love of his life. Just a few short weeks later, they were married.

They would go on to share 54 years of marriage.

Taso always joked that when he first saw Eleni, he knew they would make beautiful children together, and that was why he wanted to marry her. He also wanted us to know that although they married after only a few weeks, they grew to truly love one another through the years; and they truly did. He would tell his children that a successful marriage is 100/100 and not 50/50. They were patient with each other, supportive of each other, and devoted to one another. Taso spent his time and energy on trying to give her the very best life he possibly could. Their marriage was, in every sense, a testament to enduring love.

Together, they built a family that became his greatest pride and joy.
Taso loved his family fiercely, and he made certain they knew it. He was a loving husband, devoted father and a doting grandfather, always ready with advice, a lesson, a helping hand, or simply an ear to listen. He taught his family that your word means everything.

He believed people should be allowed to make their own mistakes, but he also believed in being there to catch them when they fell. He taught by example; to work hard, never speak badly about others, treat your friends like family, and never take life too seriously. And, of course, he had a few other important lessons: always buy the most marbled steak and if you borrowed something, always put it back where you found it.

Taso had a gift for making people laugh. His dry wit, quick humor, and occasional dark sense of humor could catch you completely off guard. He had a smile that could light up a room, one that he passed down to all three of his children. He was the kind of person whose presence made a room feel fuller, simply because he was in it.

Throughout his life, Taso was never afraid to work hard or try something new. He enjoyed working in real estate and owned several restaurants. Those who knew him will never forget his cooking, especially his soup. Every great pot began with carrots, celery, and onion, and from there, Taso made magic. He also spent many years working at Grease Master, where his management skills, mechanical ability, and curiosity to figure things out served him well.

Taso loved to build, repair, invent, and create. He often described himself as a “jack of all trades, master of none.” His family would respectfully disagree. He mastered far more things than he ever gave himself credit for.

After retirement, he discovered a passion that would become one of the defining joys of his later years: pier fishing in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. He eventually bought a second home there and formed a treasured community of friends on the pier. He loved the camaraderie as much as he loved the fishing. He became particularly determined to perfect the jig that would help him catch as many spanish mackerel as possible. Never one to simply accept something as it was; Taso collected discarded lead weights from around the pier and reimagined them into something useful. His creativity eventually led him to develop what is now sold as the Rod Rokker, a device designed to make jigging easier and save the fisher’s elbow and shoulder from doing all the work.

That was Taso: always looking at something ordinary and thinking about how he could make it better.

During the off-season, he enjoyed working on his computer, or in his workshop and oil painting. He loved a good hot dog, a great book to read or a documentary to watch, sharing a great story, a morning cup of coffee with his wife, double dates with his wife and best friends in Charlotte, and Wednesday night wings in Surfside with his brother.

But more than anything, he loved his family.

He was immensely proud of the family he and Eleni created. To Taso, that was the greatest measure of a life well lived; not possessions, accomplishments, or accolades, but the people who loved you and stood beside you.

He was also deeply loved by his nieces and nephews, both here in the U.S. and in Greece, whom he cherished as though they were his own children. His friendships were equally enduring. Among his dearest friends were Rick and Kathy, friends and neighbors of more than 40 years.

A proud immigrant, a Greek Orthodox Christian, and a man who never forgot where he came from, Taso carried his Greek heritage with him throughout his life. He loved visiting his homeland and remained deeply connected to the place where his story began.

Taso was, simply put, the salt of the earth. He was a teacher, a provider, a loyal friend, a loving husband, and a father and grandfather who made sure his family always knew they came first.
He wasn’t one for large crowds, unless he was grilling out for his friends and family.

His legacy will live on in the lessons he taught, the things he built, the stories he told, the laughter he shared, and most of all, in the family he loved so completely.

His family wishes to extend their deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to the ICU staff at Atrium Health Pineville, who cared for "Nick" and treated him as one of their own. Their compassion, kindness, and dedication meant more than words can express. A special thank you goes to Quin, Todd, Heather, Courtney and Holly, whose care and love will forever be remembered by his family.

Taso leaves behind a lifetime of lessons and a simple truth he lived by: keep your word, love your people, work hard, laugh often, and be someone that others can count on.

He will be profoundly missed, deeply loved, and forever remembered.

Taso is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Eleni Nakos; his children, Ariti Stewart, Christy Gannett and her husband Trey, and Dimitri Nakos and his wife Emily. His precious grandchildren, that thought he hung the moon and even as we grew older, they never found a reason to believe otherwise; Shel Gonzalez (Felix Jr.), Karyssa Torres, Brandon Torres, Ryan Stewart, and Avery Nakos; his sister-in-law Helen Nakos, wife of his late brother Lambros; his sister Vicki Pistolis, his brother Theofanis (Ted) Nakos and Eva Nakos.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Christos K. Nakos and Hariklia R. Nakos; his brother Lambros Nakos; and his brother-in-law Bill Pistolis.

We often joked about who was his favorite. But in those final, precious hours, we came to understand that his love was never something to be measured or divided. He loved each of us equally, completely, and in a way that was uniquely our own. His heart had a special place for every one of us, and somehow, each of us had all of him.

A Trisagion service will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd, Charlotte NC, followed by the funeral service at 10:00 a.m.  Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery at 4426 Central Avenue.

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.