Alex Kolovos, age 78, passed away on August 25, 2016, at his home in Woodbridge, VA.
Alex was diagnosed with late-stage cancer two months ago and he battled the disease as best he could. Alex is survived by his wife, his son, his daughter, and their families, who were all with him along the way and at his last moments. We take solace knowing that he is in a better place now.
Alex grew up in Greece, and began working in the restaurant business as a teenager where he gained experience in a variety of food preparation and service positions. From early on Alex had a knack for working with food. He also was naturally gifted at interacting with customers and quickly developed a respect for the mantra that the customer is always right.
Alex emigrated to Canada and worked at a large hotel restaurant in Montreal where he further refined his skills and started dreaming about one day owning his own restaurant. His dream would one day be realized but not in Canada. After about eight years in Canada, Alex’s relatives in America spoke to him about coming to live in the United States.
Alex moved to the United States and decided to settle in the Washington D.C. area, where he continued to work in the food business. After moving to America he married his love, Rita, who was also from Greece. In 1976 his dream of owning a restaurant became a reality when he founded Astoria Pizza restaurant in Woodbridge. Astoria is one of the longest running businesses in the area and is still serving happy customers today without any form of paid marketing other than a website and rave reviews from very loyal customers. Alex not only refined delicious recipes for Pizza and sandwiches, but he developed troves of customers that loved him for his kind manner and generous personality.
After moving to America and wedding the woman that he loved, he also had a second dream which was to start a family and that’s what he did. Alex and Rita had two beautiful children, Ted and Doris, that adored their father, and were lucky enough to share many happy moments with him. Ted and Doris eventually had their own children, and Alex was fortunate because he had the opportunity to enjoy his grandchildren for many years. The love that Alex had for his wife, children, daughter in law Karima, son in law Dave, and three grandchildren was immeasurable. Alex’s smile and kindness will truly be missed. Alex cared for others above himself and his generosity was unbounded. The love that we have for him will always carry on, as he is now with us in spirit. His memory is our comfort and his life gave us more joy than we could have ever dreamed of. God bless you Alex and we will see you soon, beloved husband, father and grandfather.
Please join us at Alex’s funeral services. A viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 30 at 10:00 AM and a funeral mass at 11:00 AM. The services will be at Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church. The address is 3149 Glen Carlyn Rd. Falls Church, VA 22041.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America in Alex’s honor and to hopefully help others that develop cancer in the future. To donate please visit https://bit.ly/kolovos
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