Peter John Copses

Peter John Copses

(Panayiotis Kopsiaftis)

Pano Copses passed away peacefully at his home on April 18th, 2025.

Pano was born on July 15th, 1928, in Karyes, Greece, a small village near Sparta. He was the son of Ioannis Kopsiaftis and Trissoula Kerhoulas, and the first boy of his six siblings. His family knew its share of tragedy, living through the German occupation of their village during WWII and losing their mother, who died when Pano was only a teenager. As the oldest son in a farming family, Pano took on early responsibilities tending to his family’s land, animals, and apple orchards, and helping feed his family during the impoverished conditions of the post-war village. He developed a lifelong love of gardening and quickly learned the value of hard work, a quality which defined his later life in America.

Pano finished high school in Tripolis, Greece, then served in the Greek military. He moved to Athens with one of his best friends, Gus, where he attended a trade school to become a Communications Specialist. But like many Greeks of his generation, Pete was looking for opportunities to immigrate, and he eventually followed his younger brother, Bill, to Toronto, Canada in 1954. He learned English, changed his name to “Peter,” and got his first taste of the restaurant business working at The Uptown Lunch. When asked about life in Toronto, Pete had only a few words: “that weather is for bears.” Fortunately, he met his future wife, Voula, at a Greek wedding a year later. She was from the same village, yet her parents had immigrated to Greenville SC. Pano was smitten, not only with Voula, but with the idea of moving south. Pete and Voula married in 1957 and eventually settled in Spartanburg, SC. They soon partnered with the Stathakis family to open the Sugar and Spice, a classic 60’s drive-in diner, where “Mr. Pete” worked for nearly 60 years, reluctantly retiring from his lunch shift due to Covid 19.

Much of Pete’s life reads like the “American Dream,” and he was often quoted as saying “Only in America!” He worked tirelessly to give his wife and three children a better life, with every opportunity for success. While rarely spending money on himself, he splurged for the important things, putting all of his children through college and his son through medical school, helping them achieve some of their life goals, and celebrate weddings and baptisms. He loved golf, gardening, cooking, hunting, photography, and most of all sun-bathing, whether on family vacations or in the lounge chair of his own backyard. He worked hard to carve out the life he could only dream of, and he shared the fruits of his success generously with his family, making annual trips to Myrtle Beach, taking his kids and grandkids to Greece in the summers, joining other Greek couples on February cruises to the Caribbean, and even sailing around the Greek Isles with his family on his 90th birthday!

Pete was active/philanthropic in his church life at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, a member of AHEPA and Karyes Adelphotis Society and was inducted as a Masonic Temple Shriner. Yet while Mr. Pete thrived in his Spartanburg community, he never forgot his roots. His relationship with the village of Karyes was one of lifetime devotion. He spent summers catching up over cards with his friends in the village square. He took long walks through the Peloponnesian hills every morning and stayed late into the evenings at tavernas eating his favorite foods in all the world. He was always willing to contribute to Karyes church life and culture. Most notably, he was awarded two philanthropic commendations for financing a project to bring water to his village, which had long struggled with droughts.

In Spartanburg, Mr. Pete created his own version of a Greek village, developing lifelong friendships at church, at “The Spice,” and on the golf course. For decades, and well into his early 90s, he took Greek-style morning walks, knocking on the doors of his Greek siblings who had followed their brother to America and moved into the very same Hillbrook neighborhood. He was also a devoted and playful “Pappou” or “Popi” to his grandchildren, who will remember his generosity as well as his guidance to strive toward success while enjoying life along the way. As hard-working as he was, he also knew how to laugh. He loved to entertain and to be surrounded by his friends and family telling stories. Though it seems a simple expression, he always declared “This is the best family!” He was not wrong.

Pete is survived by his sister, Eleni Kiriazis (101 years old), his three children, Trissie, John (J.C), and Dino Copses (wife Meg) as well as his grandchildren Parras Black (husband Ray), Olive Copses, and Luca Copses. He will also be remembered by cousins, nieces, and nephews in Greece and America as well as the many adoptive family members he’s known from “The Spice” and from his Spartanburg community. He was pre-deceased by siblings Panayiota Diangikes, Demetra Siarris, William (Bill) Copses, and Dina Georgas as well as his wonderful wife of 68 years, Voula Copses, who died just three weeks prior. In our hearts and memories, we will forever see the two of them hosting an epic Greek Easter celebration in their backyard, surrounded by friends and family, eternally toasting and feasting.

Visitation for friends and family will be held at Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St. Spartanburg, SC. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 6pm-8pm with Trisagion Service at 7:30 pm. Funeral service will be on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 10:30 am at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 697 Asheville Hwy., Spartanburg, SC, followed by interment at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

Our family wants to thank all the caregivers: Barbara, Donna, Faye, Jennifer, Kim, Lisa, and Sharon, who provided amazing care to “Mr. Pete” for almost a year. Also, we thank the support and medical care provided by Interim Hospice. Thank you! “Efharisto Poli”!

In lieu of flowers, donations to St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Memorial Fund, PO Box 1107, Spartanburg, SC 29303 are welcome.

An online guest register is available at www.floydmortuary.com

Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel