Dimitrios Karanikas

Dimitrios Konstantinos Karanikas, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by loved ones on June 26, 2023. He is survived by his loving wife, Marianna, daughters, Alexia (Nate) and Chrisanthi, grandchildren, Milo and Maia, brother, Tasos (Noula), nephews, Kosta and Vasili, sister-in-law, Loukia, niece, Fanoula, and best friend for over 70 years, Stergios (Eudoxia). He is preceded in death by his parents, Kostas and Chrisanthi. Born in a chicken coop one blustery January day, Dimitrios was from the small village of Mesia, Greece, which was just outside of Thessaloniki and a world away from modern life and technology. Life was hard but simple and family values were at the core of his foundation. At only 18 years old, he moved to Germany to find work at a textile factory to support his family before returning to Greece to serve in the military police. Surviving a world of chaos during World War II and the Greek Civil War, his resilience was unmatched. A true fairytale love story, Dimitrios and Marianna married within a month of meeting on a blind date. Soon after, they moved to the United States where they worked tirelessly towards the American dream of having a better life. A dream that they achieved together. For 39 years, Dimitrios selflessly devoted his life to his family and teaching his children the importance of compassion, love, security, and perseverance. Dimitrios took pride in working at Gleason Corporation. Working his way up from the assembly line, he soon made a name for himself and became one of the most sought after service engineers, traveling around the world to solve challenging mechanical problems for major automotive companies. Dimitrios’ talent and skill combined with his warmth and kindness didn’t go unnoticed by those who had the privilege of meeting him. His passion for his career carried on after retirement, where he continued on as a consultant for the company he dedicated over 40 years of service. Dimitrios saw the beauty in the world around him. His love of nature was a testament to his nurturing ways, and his tenacity to “keep looking up” even during the most difficult times exuded a strength and courageous spirit that could not be broken. He enjoyed spending his evenings singing along to songs from his homeland and would burst into dance at a moment’s notice. He truly found the meaning of joy and brought comfort and hope to those around him. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Dimitrios’ name to the PAN Foundation for prostate cancer treatment support, the American Cancer Society, or to the American Heart Association. If you choose to make a donation, please fill out the dedication card to dimitris.karanikas@att.net so that we can thank you.

Dimitrios Karanikas

January 19, 1942 - June 26, 2023