Emanuel Papadakis

Devoted husband and loving father, started a new journey on March 1 2022.  The son of Greek refugees who were forced out of Turkey in 1922 he was born in Heraklion, Crete on January 20, 1925.  As a teenager, during WWII, he was captured bringing food to the Greek resistance and spent three years in a Nazi work camp. Upon his return to Greece,  he joined the Merchant Marines and spent several years traveling the world.  Teaching himself to play guitar on those long ocean voyages, he was always with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.

A steadfast family man, he emigrated to New York in 1960, to join his sister and mother.  Vasiliki joined him in 1962, they married and started a family, moving to Hicksville in 1968.  Living on an Long Island allowed him to pursue his other passion, fishing.  If it was 4:30 am on a summer weekend, you can rest assured that he would be piling  his family into the car, hitching up the boat and heading to his beloved Peconic Bay, rain or shine. His zest for life and joyful spirit live on in his children, Stephen and Tania, and grandchildren, Christopher and Amanda.  The many hardships he faced as a youth were vanquished by his indomitable spirit.  He taught us to live in the present with gratitude and grace, for that and for so much more, we are truly thankful.