George Niketas Obituary

George Niketas Summerville - Dr. George Niketas, 92, passed away peacefully at home on August 16, 2022 after a courageous battle with Parkinson's disease and LBD. George was born March 31, 1930 in Kalamata, Greece to Soterios Niketeas and Theoni Papadea Niketeas. He survived near starvation during the Nazi occupation of World War II Greece and emigrated to the United States in 1947. He taught himself English and earned his GED in 1951. He joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Alaska during the Korean War, and then worked as a translator for the U.S. State Department accompanying Greek diplomats to nearly every U.S. state. Through the G.I. Bill, he earned his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees at University of South Carolina in English and French. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from University of Georgia in 1968. His thesis was a translation of the book-length poem Axion Esti, for which poet Odysseus Elytis won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Literature. After teaching at University of Georgia, UT-Chattanooga, and Erskine College, he spent 25 years on the faculty of Charleston Southern University. He met Elaine Yatrelis at a wedding in 1962 and they married on the Summer Solstice of 1964. Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of his family and the home he built for them in 1972. He is survived by his wife and their three children, Steven George Niketas (Michael Routzahn) of Folly Beach, S.C., Alexia Kyra Niketas of Summerville, S.C., and Tanya Athena Niketas (Craig Zimmerman) and his beloved grandson, William Delphinios "Phin" Niketas-Zimmerman of Charleston, S.C. He is also survived by his brother, Paul Niketas of Kansasville, Wisconsin, sister, Chrysoula Niketeas Dousi of Athens, Greece, brother-in-law, Father Anastasy Yatrelis of Summerville, S.C., and numerous beloved nieces and nephews, in both the U.S. and Greece. He will also be greatly missed by "Mr. Cat," the stray cat that adopted him and brought him great comfort during his long illness. He is preceded in death by his brother, Vasili Niketas, and his sister, Evangelia Niketeas Zigouraki. George was an English professor by trade but he was so much more. He was a poet, mechanic, carpenter, master gardener and farmer, lover of nature, animal whisperer to all creatures, and a brilliant philosopher. He was a terrible driver unless it was a tractor. He loved to write and journal and had the vocabulary of ten scholars. He loved the poetry of Robert Frost, in-depth conversations (aka lectures), classical music, and opera. The family would like to thank Carolina Health Care and his kind caregivers. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Dorchester Paws or Pet Helpers of Charleston. A private celebration of life is to be held for family and friends at a later date. A . May his memory be eternal. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston