My Greek grandfather, Phokion Karas, passed away today. He lived in Boston, and Ben and I visited him there five years ago, which was a fun experience. I'm glad Ben got to meet him. He visited my family a handful of times while I was growing up, but he always sent me a Christmas present from Filene's Basement in Boston. He loved shopping at Filene's. His gifts usually smelled like moth balls, which is kind of a funny memory.
My grandfather was an architectural photographer and was also a very good cook. He liked to ride his bike around the city and was a regular at the outdoor food markets to pick up fresh produce and fish.
He was very proud of his Greek heritage, so I think it's neat that he passed away today, on Greek Independence Day.It's strange to think that both of my grandfathers have passed away within just a few months of the other.
