HOUSTON, TX – Anthony D. Kouzounis, the former Supreme President of AHEPA and an active member of the Hellenic community in Texas, passed away on November 8 at the age of 85 and will be greatly missed by the organization and the Greek-American community as a whole.

Born in Greece in October 26, 1937, Kouzounis was graduated from the University of Houston, served as U.S. Southwest Sales Manager for Olympic Aviation, and headed a major real estate firm in Houston for over 35 years.

He was a member of AHEPA for a full 64 years and passed through various leadership positions in his chapter, as well as in the regional and national levels. At the same time, he was an active member of the Greek-American community, receiving the St. Andrew Social Contribution Medal from the late Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America.

Kouzounis was active at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, while also involved with other Greek associations.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

AHEPA made the sad announcement on its social media with members expressing their condolences to the family of the deceased who had been elected to the highest office of AHEPA in August 2013.

AHEPA also released the following statement:

The members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) deeply mourn the passing of Board of Trustees Director and Past Supreme President Anthony Kouzounis, announced Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas. Brother Kouzounis passed away November 8.

“We mourn the significant loss of Past Supreme President Anthony Kouzounis,” Supreme President Kokotas said. “Brother Anthony loved the Order immensely, serving numerous offices with dedication, including as a valued member of the Board of Trustees. He will be remembered fondly by the AHEPA family as mentor to many Ahepans, for his generosity to the Order, and as a kind and gentle human being. We are grateful for his service to the community, and he will be missed greatly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Millie. May his memory be eternal.”

Kouzounis, a Life Member of Alexander the Great Chapter 29, Houston, served as Supreme President in 2013 to 2014. During his term, AHEPA amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars collectively for humanitarian assistance as AHEPA’s public health campaign for Greece hit its stride with the delivery of medical supplies shipments. He also oversaw the donation of food assistance for the children of Greece and Cyprus and AHEPA provided relief aid to tornado victims of the Midwest. He led a vital AHEPA delegation as part of an inaugural landmark Leadership Mission comprised of American Hellenic and American Jewish organizations to Israel, Cyprus, and Greece in January 2014. Additionally, during his term, AHEPA secured funds to donate a cart for His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to use on the island of Halki.

In 2019, Brother Anthony, and his wife, Millie, donated $50,000 to AHEPA’s Century Capital Campaign. Kouzounis also served as chair of the AHEPA International Committee during his AHEPA career.

For all his contributions to AHEPA and the Greek American community, Kouzounis received the AHEPA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 at the Centennial Grand Banquet in Orlando, Florida.

Community leader Elias Neofytides, who was in New York for many years and now lives in Houston, was pleased to be able to share his thoughts about his friend. “And Antonis Kouzounis was not just a friend. He was a mentor to all of us. He was very involved with both churches in Houston. He was always helpful and if anything needed to be done he was always the first to participate. He started the Houston Marathon exchange where they send two marathon runners from here to Greece – paying all their expenses – and they bring two runners from Greece to participate in the Houston Marathon. That’s been going on for 35, 37 years.”

Neofytides emphasized that Kouzounis “was a low key-person. You never heard him criticizing or putting someone down. And he was always honest. A man of integrity.”