LOWELL, MA – Nicholas V. Karas, a Lowell resident and life-long member of the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, passed away after a long illness at Lowell General Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

He was the born in Lowell on May 21, 1925, the son of Greek immigrants, the late Vaios (Karamousianis) Karas and Vasiliki (Proufas) Karas. He attended local schools and graduated from Lowell High School in 1943.

Inducted shortly thereafter into the Army Air Corps, he served stateside in the Second Air Force, and then in the Fifth Air Force overseas with the 110th Reconnaissance Squadron and the 460th Fighter Squadron in the Philippine Islands, Ieshima (Okinawa), and the occupation of Japan following its surrender.

After discharge, he obtained a BS Degree in Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst); and an MS Degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University.

He worked first for the Air Force at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and then as a physicist at the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories at Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, MA, until his retirement. He authored and co-authored technical manuals and held patents dealing with electromagnetic detection devices.

An avid golfer, he was a long-time member of Longmeadow Golf Club.

Deeply interested in the experiences of Lowell Greek immigrants, he interviewed many of them and wrote about them in three books: The Greek Triangle of the Acre, Greek Immigrants at Work and Greek Immigrant Chronicles. He was also past president of the Sons and Daughters of Kastraki, formed by first-generation Greek-Americans in honor of their Greek parents. The Bay State Historical League honored him with the Local Historical Hero Award for his research and work as a member of the Hellenic Culture and Heritage Society.

He also belonged to the Order of the AHEPA (Hellas Chapter #102), Greek American Veterans Post No. 1, and the Hellenic American School of Lowell Alumni Association.

He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife, Virginia ‘Gini’ (Berys) Karas and his cherished sister Evangeline K. Relias.

He is survived by his three sons, Victor N. Karas, Christopher P. Karas, and Jonathan W. Karas; his brother-in-laws, Fotis Relias & Peter C. Berys; three nieces, Anne Brennan and her husband Ronald, Dr. Valerie O. Relias, Kathleen Powers and her husband Edwin. He is also survived by a grandniece, Lucy Evangeline Powers; and grandnephews, Charles Powers, Dr. Gregory Brennan and his wife Casey and Dr. Christopher Brennan; as well as a great grandniece Lily Elizabeth Brennan; also relatives in Greece, Switzerland, and Australia.

His Funeral Service was held on Monday, January 4, 2021 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church followed by interment in Westlawn Cemetery.