 Teddy
Filosofos, 81, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Grand Island, NY, passed away on
May 14, 2009, after a lengthy illness. Mr. Filosofos was the Deputy
Commissioner of the Board of Elections here in Buffalo, NY prior to his
retirement and relocation to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He was active in local
politics and was the treasurer of the Democratic Party under the
chairmanship of Joseph F. Crangle for many years. He was instrumental in
the campaigns of a great number of local politicians in and around Erie
County. He was known to many as the man who could make things happen. In
1988, he was chosen to be the Chairman of the Board of Elections and
Ethics in Washington, D.C. While there, he was credited with updating the
election, records in the nation's capital and putting them on computers to
make the elections run more smoothly and professionally, After working at
General Motors in Tonawanda for many years, he was selected to be the
Deputy Commissioner of Finance for the Erie County Clerk's Office. He
worked there until he went to the Board of Elections in 1977. Mr.
Filosofos was a member of the VFW Post #9249 on Grand Island. Mr.
Filosofos was a member of a number of churches here and in Ft. Lauderdale,
FL, especially St. George Orthodox Catholic Church in Buffalo, where he
was a founding member and subdeacon of the church. He was a spiritual man
and made a pilgrimage to Spruce Island in Kodiak, Alaska to visit St.
Herman's Seminary, the first Orthodox Saint in America. He was extremely
moved by his visit there and felt the presence and miracles of St. Herman.
He spoke of that trip often and always hoped to return. Survived by his
wife of 57 years, Jacqueline (Griffith); three children, T. Argerous
(Rebecca), Denise and Michael (Cindy); four grandchildren, Wesley
Proefrock, Michael, Sevaste and Theo Filosofos; and many nieces and
nephews. Family will be present at the Kaiser Funeral Home 1950 Whitehaven
Rd., Grand Island on Saturday, 2-4 and 7-9 PM and at St. George Antiochian
Orthodox Church, 1073 Saunders Settlement Road, Niagara Falls, 3-8 PM on
Sunday where funeral services will be held on Monday at 10 AM. Memorials
to St. Herman's Seminary, 414 Mission Rd., Kodiak, Alaska 99615 or St.
George Antiochian Orthodox Church. |
