Coping with Grief
We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you can stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.
Andrew Galanis, 88, of Ipswich passed away peacefully at home on February 28, 2020, surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Ipswich on July 4, 1931, Andy was the son of the late John and Helen Dres Galanis. Andy graduated from Ipswich High School in 1950 and proudly attended Bentley College for a year. Andy was fortunate to take classes taught by Harry Bentley before he was pulled back into the family business. He was raised with a strong work ethic that he instilled in his children. In the business since 5th grade, Andy would run down to be cashier during the lunch time rush from school and then run back to class.
On December 28, 1959 Andy and Georgia Galanis were married. They lovingly devoted sixty years together raising three children and welcoming six grandchildren into their lives. Holiday gatherings and Sunday dinner was the heart and soul of their family. Andy and Georgia shared many fond memories of visiting family in Greece, as well as other travels meeting new friends. Andy was always the most talkative on these planes, trains, and automobiles. Closer to home, Andy would travel the North Shore during the 1970s and 1980s proudly rooting for his children’s Ipswich Tiger football, track and softball teams. Tufts football families still fondly remember Andy for bringing coffee and clam chowder to tailgates around New England where he and Georgia cheered on the Jumbos. Andy spoke proudly with customers and friends at the Agawam Diner about his children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments. He would post newspaper articles about family at the diner for everyone to see and talk about.
At the Agawam Diner Andy took a sincere interest in his customers lives. He formed many very close friendships and these friends became his extended family. He looked forward to his trips with diner buddies hitting the hottest spots for anyone over the age of 80 years old from Maine to Connecticut.
Most of the time Andy was the sales and marketing face of the Agawam Diner in Rowley since 1940 that included predeceased brothers Peter Galanis, William Galanis, Louis Galanis: sisters Georgia Pappas, Ethel Geanoulis, Jane Droukis, and Emily Murphy.
Andy and his family operated the Agawam Diners located in Peabody, Lynnfield, Ipswich and finally it’s current Rowley location. Other Galanis family business that folks will remember with fondness include the Pavilion Beach Cafe, The Dolphin Restaurant, K&G Lanes, and The Whittier Motel.
After eight decades at the Agawam, Andy will be remembered by all for his quick wit and one liners. As he often told customers, friends, and family, “he is headed for the big diner in the sky”. We expect that he will ask Saint Peter when he is received at the pearly gate, “Have you been had at the Agawam lately”?
Andy is survived by his beloved wife, Georgia; children, son John and his wife Christine Galanis; daughter Ethel and her husband Paul DePasquale; and daughter Angela and her husband Barry Mitchell; and six grandchildren, Andrew Galanis, Constantine Galanis, Derek DePasquale, Nicholas DePasquale, Andrew Mitchell, and Hannah Mitchell.
Visiting hours will be Monday, March 2, 2020 from 4pm to 7pm at Morris Funeral Home, 45 North Main Street, Ipswich. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 10:00 am at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church 8 Lafayette Road. Burial will follow the service at the New Highland Cemetery, 29 Town Farm Road, Ipswich.
Andy was a lifelong member of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of Ipswich. Afflicted with Lupus for 48 years he passionately educated the public as a part of their Hall of Fame series. The family would like to express its’ gratitude to Care Dimensions for their compassion and caring to our father and family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of Ipswich P.O. Box 6, Ipswich, MA 01938; Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923; or to Lupus Foundation of America; 2121 K Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037 at
https://www.lupus.org/massachusetts.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Morris Funeral Home of Ipswich. For directions or to send a condolence to the Galanis Family please go to www.MorrisFH.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Andrew Galanis, please visit our floral store.