George Erotokritos Galiachatos, age 89, of Silver Spring, Maryland, passed away surrounded by his family and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Piye Galiachatos.

He is survived by his four beloved children: Eva (Edward) Warburton, Ellen (Russ) Miles, Georgia  (Patrick) Grover, and Eric (Nicole) Galiachatos; his cherished grandchildren: Andrew Justin “AJ” (Ali) Galiachatos, Carissa (Curtis) Comrie, Paige (Alexander) Rurka, Hunter Warburton, Taylor (Conor) Snyder, Jake Miles, Annie Warburton, Brynn Grover, and Devin Galiachatos; his great-grandchildren: Caysen, Harbor, Lylah, Lumen, and Coast; his two brothers  Andreas Galiatsatos and Panayiotis Galiatsatos, and his sister Tasoula Maratos— along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Born on April 29, 1936, in Kefalonia, Greece, to Erotokritos and Evanthia Galiachatos, George grew up during a time of war, witnessing hunger, poverty, hardship, and later death and devastation from a massive earthquake in 1953. As a young man, he proudly served in the Greek Army, and the lessons he learned during that time—discipline, resilience, and a deep sense of duty—stayed with him throughout his life. George came to the United States in 1961 at the age of 25 with a fourth-grade education, no money, and unable to speak a word of English.

Through grit, vision, and an unshakable work ethic, he achieved the true American dream, building a life of remarkable success entirely from the ground up. He was deeply proud of his birthplace, Kefalonia, yet immensely grateful and proud to be an American citizen. He cherished both lands equally. As a young boy in his village, George met the love of his life, Piye Giakoumatos, and often recalled tugging on her long braids during class. That childhood friendship blossomed into a 60 year, lifelong marriage, blessed with four children, who were their greatest pride and joy. George and Piye’s marriage spanned decades, continents, and countless shared dreams. When Piye passed away in July of 2022, she was laid to rest in Kefalonia at the cemetery that shares the small village church where they had been married — a place that forever holds their story.

George’s business journey began in the 1960s as a dishwasher in a Washington, D.C. restaurant and grew into his becoming the proud founder and owner of The Lincoln Charcoal Inn in Wheaton, Maryland— a beloved local landmark for many years and one of the first restaurants to feature indoor charcoal. Sixty years later he was still bragging about his famous sizzling London broil. After he retired from the restaurant business, he went on to earn his real estate license — an achievement he said “felt like going to college” — and went on to build a thriving real estate enterprise. Over the decades, his sharp instincts, tireless determination, and ability to see potential where others did not, allowed him to create a substantial and lasting legacy for his family.

Known for their generosity, George and Piye helped many family members and friends along the way — from sponsoring them to come to the US, to providing wise counsel and steadfast guidance whenever it was needed, to providing many with their first jobs or loans to buy a home or car. His kindness and mentorship touched countless lives. 

In the early 2000s, George and Piye returned to their beloved island to build a dream home in the village of Pyrgi, where they were both born. It was there they spent the last 25 summers, surrounded by family, friends, and the island’s beauty. George will be remembered for his tireless work ethic, business acumen, the lasting legacy he built for his children, and the deep love he held for his wife.

Following a Greek Orthodox funeral service, George will be cremated. His ashes will be laid to rest in Kefalonia alongside Piye, reuniting them in the place where their love story began.

Funeral services will be held at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church located, 721 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20905 on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. The family will receive visitors at 9AM, with a liturgy to follow at 10AM.  Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.