Demetrios (Jimmy) Korkovelos, who left us on October 23, 2024, at the age of 89. He died peacefully at home with family. Funeral arrangements are by The Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny. Visiting is Wednesday, October 30th from 10:00 to 11:00 am and Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 a.m. in St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Union and burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
Born in Mesea Kapsi, a small village in Fthiotidos, Greece. He was the eldest of 6 sons. He met and married Melpomeni in 1960, and soon welcomed their first child Artemisia the following year. In 1975, they welcomed their second child, Dina Lena.
In October of 1967, he emigrated to Irvington, NJ where he went to work as a Carpenter, continuing in that trade. After several years, he sought to be his own boss and like many Greeks went into the food truck business. He opened Jimmy’s Snack Bar in NJDMV in Newark and Irvington. Later he expanded his business to Port Newark, at the corner of Port Street and Doremus Avenue. His bacon eggs and cheese on a roll sandwiches and coffee, as well as a California burger were a daily requirement for long-shoreman, new car carriers, oil delivery drivers. Eventually assigning him his own utility line to guarantee his daily presence. He prided himself in providing the best fresh food and coldest drinks in the sweltering summers to his loyal customers for two decades. He retired in 1995 from the food truck business and headed to Lamia, Greece where he became a general contractor and built his 3-family house. He earned the title “mastora”, from family because had a knack for fixing anything and everything. He and Melpomeni planted a vegetable garden, grapes, peaches and cherry trees in every square inch of their yard in Kearny, because they enjoyed home-grown vegetables and fruit and shared with family, friends and neighbors.
He was a loving husband, dedicated father, grandfather, loyal brother, uncle and friend. He was a good Christian starting each day with the sign of the cross. Gus used Windex for a “cure all” but Jimmy used Chap-stick. He also loved his adopted country and often said “God Bless America”, but the two most important things to him were his family and his work. His family was his highest priority, and he protected them fiercely. He had a tireless work ethic, and always put forth his best effort; both in his business, and at home.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Melpomeni, his daughters Artemis Diane (Christos Tsetsekas) and Dina Lena (Vasilios Kovoros), and grandchildren, Stratis, Demetris (Margaret nee Ipp), Melina, Kristos, Dimitri, and brothers Aimilios, Photios, Hippocrates, and Giorgios, and many nieces and nephews in US, Greece and Australia who will continue to honor his memory and cherish their time together. He is predeceased by his parents, Konstantinos & Artemisia and brother, Evangelos.
In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made in his memory to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Union NJ, a community that embraced him 57 years ago.
