Mr. and Mrs. Pikos, married 60 years, celebrate occasion

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TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Michael Pikos of Tarpon Springs, formerly of Campbell, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 16 with family and friends.

The couple have three children, Dr. Michael A. Pikos, Colleen A. Pikos and Anna A. Pikos. They also have five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mr. Pikos and the former Mary Vaporis were married on Oct. 16, 1949, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Youngstown. They moved in 1985 from her hometown of Campbell to Anthony’s hometown of Tarpon Springs.

Mrs. Pikos, a homemaker, seamstress and charities volunteer, is also a Greek schoolteacher, having attended St. Basil’s Orphanage-Academy for Greek studies in Garrison, N.Y.

Mr. Pikos, a U.S. Navy combat veteran of World War II, served as a first-class signalman and chief petty officer on an LCI-14, an infantry landing craft, signaling Morse code and transporting troops while under enemy fire. He participated in every major amphibious landing both in the Mediterranean and European theaters (North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and D-Day in Normandy). He attended Officer Candidate Training School at the University of Chicago.

Over the years, Mr. Pikos worked as a meat-cutter, a steelworker at Youngstown Sheet & Tube, a journeyman machinist, a welder for McKay Machine in Youngstown and General Motors in Lordstown and as a master carpenter/builder. In addition, Mr. Pikos is among the last people involved in the sponge-diving legacy that Tarpon Springs is famous for.

Mr. and Mrs. Pikos are members of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Both are founders and supporters of various educational/literacy, humane and Native American organizations.