Obituary of Nicolaos Aftias

Lodi resident, Nicolaos “Nick” Aftias passed away Monday, May 27th at home with family by his side. He was born March 18, 1933 in Samos, Greece to parents Licourgos and Fotini Aftias and earned his engineering degree before immigrating to Canada at the age of 18. The love of his life, Kiriaki Geralis, joined him soon afterward and they were married in 1954. The couple started a family and Nick began his career in the restaurant business while living in Montreal. He then worked for the Canadian Railroad in hospitality on the trains. In 1958, he moved his family to Vancouver where he opened a restaurant called the Village Inn. The family moved to Lodi in 1968 so Kiriaki could be reunited with her brothers and sisters. Nick managed the New Yorker restaurant in Lodi until 1974 when he partnered with his nieces and nephews, Dr. Ken and Angie Frangadakis and Michael and Patti Frangadakis, to open Yasoo Yani restaurant in downtown Stockton. He became sole owner of Yasoo Yani in 1975. 

Nick was a parishioner of St. Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church and a founding member and treasurer for the Lodi Hellenic Society, which supported Greek Culture in all aspects of our larger community in San Joaquin County. When the Society decided to disband, they generously donated nearly $70,000 to St. Basil’s and the Church created three memorial scholarships to honor Nick and two other founding members, Steve Facaros and Bill Panagopoulos. Nick was proud to see the scholarship ceremony online and watch his niece, Doreen Bestolarides, and her son, Danny Bestolarides, present the award to Tyler Musser. 

Nick loved to fish and was an annual attendee of the Greco-Roman Fishing Trip in Graeagle. He is remembered for his strong work ethic and big dreams and ideas. He was known for hosting events, usually totalling 140 of his family and friends, at his home for Greek Easter. He would always say, “if it’s outside, the more, the merrier!” Even after retiring from the restaurant, he never stopped working. Nick began growing grapes in 1973, and at age 88 started in almonds, doing as much work as he could on the orchard himself. Through all his work and endeavors, he made sure his family knew they were the most important part of his life. He loved all those close to him, and if you were his friend, you were his family as well. 

Nick was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, John Aftias. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Kiriaki Aftias; their children, Fotini Maria Aftias, Licourgos “Leo” Aftias, and Dimitri “Jim” Aftias (Susan); grandchildren, Nick Aftias (Rhiannon), Thomas Aftias (Edlyn), Alexa Aftias-Mertz, Christine Aftias-Sanchez, and Michael Aftias; 6 great-grandchildren; his sister, Vasilia Kritikos in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and many more loved family and friends. 

A Trisagion will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 3rd at Lodi Funeral Home, 725 S. Fairmont Ave, in Lodi. The Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4th at St. Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church, 920 W. March Ln, in Stockton, with a committal at Cherokee Memorial Park, Hwy 99 and Harney Ln, in Lodi, after a luncheon at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church, 920 W. March Ln, Stockton, CA 95207