Steven G. Cretekos of Early Street passed away on Saturday April 4 at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. Friends are invited to call on Monday April 6 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm in the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home in Wellsville. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday at 10:30 am in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wellsville. A complete obituary will be in the next edition.
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Stephen George Cretekos, 85, of Wellsville died peacefully Saturday (April 4, 2009) at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa., with his family by his side.
He was the son of George J. Cretekos and Anastasia Paraskavopoulos who emigrated from Greece and settled in Wellsville in 1905. Steve graduated from Wellsville High School where he excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track. He was one of the original inductees into the Wellsville Central School Sports Wall of Fame.
After graduating from high school, Steve enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in Europe from 1943 to 1945. In the 8th Air Force 306th Bomb Group, he flew multiple B-17 missions over Germany.
Upon returning to Wellsville, he joined Cretekos Brothers, the family business that is still in operation today. In 1963, he joined the Texas Hot, where he worked for 45 years, retiring in 2008.
Steve was a member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Jamestown, VFW, American Legion and 306 Echoes. He joined the Wellsville Country Club in 1963 where he was an avid golfer.
On Oct. 3, 1948, in Providence, R.I., he married Kathryn Makris, who survives. Also surviving are his three children, Stephanie K. Cretekos of Bristol R.I.; George and Barbara (Kinzel) Cretekos of Wellsville, Peter and Mary (Wyrough) Cretekos of Poughquag; granddaughters, Alexis Casteborn of Lund, Sweden, Ellen Cretekos and Elizabeth Cretekos, both of Poughquag; brothers, James Cretekos of Wellsville and Dr. Constantine Cretekos of Bluffton, S.C.; and several niece and nephews. He was predeceased by sister, Katherine Cretekos Toporas; and a brother, Jack Cretekos, formerly of Cupertino, Calif.
Friends may call today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc., 34 W. State St., Wellsville.
A Greek Orthodox funeral service will be held Tuesday (April 7, 2009) at 10:30 a.m. in St. John's Episcopal Church, Main Street, Wellsville, with Father George Zervos presiding.
Memorial donations may be made to the David A. Howe Library, Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps or Jones Memorial Hospital.
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Stephen George Cretekos, 85, of Wellsville died peacefully Saturday (April 4, 2009) at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa., with his family by his side.
He was the son of George J. Cretekos and Anastasia Paraskavopoulos who emigrated from Greece and settled in Wellsville in 1905. Steve graduated from Wellsville High School where he excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track. He was one of the original inductees into the Wellsville Central School Sports Wall of Fame.
After graduating from high school, Steve enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in Europe from 1943 to 1945. In the 8th Air Force 306th Bomb Group, he flew multiple B-17 missions over Germany.
Upon returning to Wellsville, he joined Cretekos Brothers, the family business that is still in operation today. In 1963, he joined the Texas Hot, where he worked for 45 years, retiring in 2008.
Steve was a member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Jamestown, VFW, American Legion and 306 Echoes. He joined the Wellsville Country Club in 1963 where he was an avid golfer.
On Oct. 3, 1948, in Providence, R.I., he married Kathryn Makris, who survives. Also surviving are his three children, Stephanie K. Cretekos of Bristol R.I.; George and Barbara (Kinzel) Cretekos of Wellsville, Peter and Mary (Wyrough) Cretekos of Poughquag; granddaughters, Alexis Casteborn of Lund, Sweden, Ellen Cretekos and Elizabeth Cretekos, both of Poughquag; brothers, James Cretekos of Wellsville and Dr. Constantine Cretekos of Bluffton, S.C.; and several niece and nephews. He was predeceased by sister, Katherine Cretekos Toporas; and a brother, Jack Cretekos, formerly of Cupertino, Calif.
Friends may call today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc., 34 W. State St., Wellsville.
A Greek Orthodox funeral service will be held Tuesday (April 7, 2009) at 10:30 a.m. in St. John's Episcopal Church, Main Street, Wellsville, with Father George Zervos presiding.
Memorial donations may be made to the David A. Howe Library, Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps or Jones Memorial Hospital.