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Elias (Louie) K. Andritsakis, 76, of Clearwater, Florida, passed away peacefully Monday, October 25, 2010, at the Suncoast Hospice from Parkinson's Disease. He was born in Greece on June 15, 1934 to Konstantine and Panagiota Andritsakis. After finishing electronics school in Athens, Louie sought a better life and arrived in Oneonta, New York at the age of 17. For several years, he worked in various restaurants before joining the U.S. Army. He was extremely proud to have served as a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne, stationed in Germany. He then went on to become a successful restauranteur and real estate developer. First in Ithaca, New York, he became a partner in the State Diner, built the area's first McDonald's on Route 13, then followed up with the Cosmopolitan Restaurant near Cornell University. In 1970, his family moved to Oswego, New York, where he purchased a large parcel of land with an existing restaurant. The Char-Pit Restaurant went on to become a very popular dining spot in Oswego, which he successfully operated until his retirement in 1987. During that time, he was instrumental in revitalizing the Route 104 East business area with his visionary attitude, first developing Burger King in 1976, Wendy's in 1978, and finally a strip mall in 1985. He was a member of the Masonic Temple #51 in Ithaca and active in ham radio (KC2CL) for many years, making friends around the world. In his retirement, he spent much time in his beloved mountain village of Tsintzina, Greece, where he enjoyed the simple way of life and the closeness of his friends and relatives. Louie will be remembered as a very compassionate and generous man with a wonderful sense of humor. He was respected and loved by everyone who was lucky to have known him. He is survived by his wife, Athena (Marinos) Andritsakis of Clearwater, Florida, and his two sons, Constantine of Clearwater, Florida, and Demetri of Liverpool, New York. He will be laid to rest in Goritsa, Laconia, Greece. Memorial donations may be sent to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, New York, 10008-0780 or at www.michaeljfox.org
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