Harry Pappas

Born in Albany, NY on February 10, 1929, of Greek immigrants, Costantinos and Panay Pappas, of Tenedos, Greece.  Harry was the youngest of six. During his high school years, he attended Christian Brothers Academy, where he excelled in the Department of Military Science and Tactics, Corp of Cadets, Infantry Regiment from 1942 to 1946, receiving multiple Commander Medals, as well as, becoming eligible for the Academy’s Honor Society. 

From 1946 -1947 Harry attended Albany Business College where he learned Court Reporting. In December 1947, Harry and his mother, Panay, boarded a train west for a two-week vacation to visit his older sister, Sallie, in southern California.  Their return trip included a stopover in Mesa, AZ.  Panay remembered she had a cousin who lived in Mesa, so she gave him a call.  Her cousin emphatically encouraged them to get off the train and visit for a while.  The orange blossoms were intoxicating, the weather was beautiful.  Panay called her husband in Albany and said to him, “sell everything, this is paradise!”  Harry never returned to live in Albany.  From 1949 to 1952 Harry would be a Court Reporter for the United States Federal Court at Williams Air Force Base.

From 1949 to 1951, he attended ASU’s School of Business Administration, majoring in Accounting.  He was awarded the Arizona Certified Public Accountants Society for Outstanding Accounting Graduate; elected to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities; was the Arizona Student Delegate to the National Association of Manufacturers Conference in Washington, D.C.; a member of the Blue Key National Honor Society; the Pasteur Scientific Society; a member of Sigma Pi Sigma and Tau Kappa Epsilon; and, the first President of the Gamma Omega Chapter of the Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity at ASU; he was also President of the Russian Club and President of the Chess Club.  Towards the end of 1951, prior to graduating from ASU, he would meet his future wife, Fannie Gannis, who would become his life partner of 72 years.

In March 1952, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the USAF, then the following month, he and Fannie married.  Soon to follow was Officers’ Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX, then to Lowry AFB in Denver, CO to attend Intelligence School.  From January to March 1953, he attended OSI School (Office of Special Investigations) the military counterpart of the FBI.  Also in March of 1953 their first child, Connie, was born. 

In 1953 he was sent to US Army Language School in Monterey, CA, where he was the recipient of the US Army Language School Outstanding Foreign Language Student for the 1953 Academic Year.  In June 1954 he became part of the 1005th Special Investigations Group (OSI).  In 1955, he was assigned to Tachikawa Air Force Base in Tokyo, Japan where he “ran spies”.  Later that year, their son, Nicholas, was born.  Then, on Greek Independence Day, March 25, 1957, Harry was honorably discharged as a Captain in the OSI of the USAF, whose active duty ended April 9, 1958. He is a veteran of the Korean war.

His civilian life had now begun, partnering to form the Hilkert & Pappas Accounting firm.  He also served as Chairman of the ASU College of Business Administration, and later, after Hilkert retired, Harry formed a new accounting partnership/practice.  His third child, Pamela, was born in 1959.

About 1966, Harry felt the need to embellish his accounting practice by getting his law degree as a Tax Attorney. Because ASU did not have a law school at the time, Harry would drive daily from Phoenix to Tucson to attend class.  Once classes ended, he would return to Phoenix and resume his accounting practice duties.  He was ultimately able to complete his law degree at ASU once it’s College of Law was established.  He, therefore, was recognized as a member of the 1967 Founding Class at ASU’s College of Law.  

Over the years, some of his business ventures included an affiliation with Mr. Lucky’s, Beef Rigger, and Bobby McGee's restaurants.   He engaged in multiple business negotiations on behalf of Fann Toyota and Camelback Toyota.  Also, his adventurous spirit found him establishing Aloha Rent-A-Car and Milo Fish Company on the island of Maui; Phoenix Software Development Co.; and, Mobile Diagnostics (one of the first portable X-Ray services provided for nursing home patients.

After his retirement, he found himself working for Mayo Clinic as an Interpreter for their foreign clients.  He acquired a Bilingual Certification in Spanish, Japanese and Russian.  Additionally, he spoke Greek, Chinese, French, Italian and Latin.  In the evening, Harry would do medical transcriptions for the doctors.

He had an insatiable love for knowledge and soon found himself struggling from, in his words, “extreme boredom.”   He had always been the “go-to” guy, particularly when it came to math, to tutor not only his own kids and grandkids, but also any extended family member or friends.  His brain was a literal calculator.  In 1999, at the age of 70, he decided to go back to school where, with a G.P.A. of 3.72, he obtained his "Post Baccalaureate Teacher Education Secondary," in 2000. Then, in 2003, he received his Master of Arts in Education degree for “Curriculum and Instruction," where he could work with faculty and influence the direction and implementation of curriculum.  He wanted to create the best possible environment for the kids to be able to learn, focusing on at-risk kids.

He became a Substitute Teacher for many of the Phoenix inner-city high schools, teaching all subjects.  He became employed by Glendale Community College as an Adjunct Professor.  He was also employed by Maricopa County Regional School District at Lone Cactus High School, a unit of Pappas Schools for the Homeless.  He taught Math at Durango Juvenile Detention Center and Mesa Juvenile Detention Center and received the “Dare to Soar“ award recognized for going above and beyond and showing outstanding initiative each and every day.  He also performed tutoring services for students of Desert Mountain High School in Math, Spanish, and Chemistry.

His final employ was with Glendale Unified School District where he was called nearly every day to substitute teach.  He was always anxious to make the drive to the west side of Phoenix to begin another day in hopes of positively changing young lives.  It wasn’t until 2021, at the age of 92, when Covid caused schools to shut down that his teaching days came to an end. 

Harry was a lover of dogs, classical music, and poetry.   He played piano and was an avid tennis player into his 70’s.  He loved ASU football, reading, and crossword puzzles.  He loved learning about different cultures and acted as a host parent for the Student Exchange program taking in students from Japan and France.  During his final weeks, he would ask “Why am I here?” “What is my purpose?” He was frustrated that he didn’t feel he had done enough and had more to give.

He was consistently kind, gentle, and compassionate.  He never voiced a disparaging remark.  He used humor with his “dad jokes”, to lift a room.  He never expected anything from anyone, but that you always tried your best.  He was patient, warm and welcoming to everyone.  He was interested in you, your background, and what your dreams were … you truly felt his sincerity.

Quoting a picture hanging in his office entitled “Priorities,” Harry embodied its quote stating, “It does not matter 100 years from now what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove . . . but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."

On April 27, surrounded by immediate and several extended family members, their 72nd wedding anniversary was celebrated. The following day, holding his wife's hand at his bedside, along with other family members including two of his great grandchildren, he passed peacefully.

Harry is survived by his wife of 72 years, Fannie; his children, Connie Venetis, Nicholas Pappas, and Pamela Van Kampen; 8 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Harry donated regularly to the Arizona Humane Society and Wounded Warrior Project demonstrating his love and compassion for both causes. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you give to one of these organizations. 

Funeral services will be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 1973 E. Maryland Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85016, on Monday, May 13, at 11:00 a.m.  Committal Service with Military Honors will take place promptly at 1:30 p.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phx, AZ 85024.