The AHEPAN Summer 2018 - 39

IN MEMORIAM

AHEPA National Housing Chairman Emeritus Nick Stratas
AHEPA mourns the passing of Chairman Emeritus of the AHEPA National Housing
Corporation Nick M. Stratas, who passed away March 22, 2018. He was 85. Brother
Stratas was a 41-year member of the chapter that proudly bears his name, Nick M. Stratas
Chapter 310, Mobile, Ala. He also is a Past District 1 Governor.
"A pillar of the Greek American community, Brother Stratas unselfishly devoted his
time and energy giving back to the community at-large, most notably through his decades
of leadership guiding AHEPA's successful affordable housing for the elderly program,"
Hollister said, adding that Brother Stratas served as a mentor to him. "Brother Stratas
was an exemplary Ahepan, who served the Order faithfully and passionately, and cared
deeply about his Hellenic roots. Our deepest sympathies are with his wife of 53 years,
Mary "Titsa," and the entire Stratas family. May his memory be eternal."
In 2017, Brother Stratas received the AHEPA Lifetime Achievement Award for his instrumental work with the AHEPA National
Housing program from its inception and for his philanthropic support of Penelope House, the first domestic violence shelter in
Alabama. He helped bring to fruition AHEPA 310 Apartments in Mobile, Ala., which opened in 1985. He served as president of
AHEPA of Mobile, Inc., which developed 13 elderly housing properties throughout greater Mobile that are administered under
the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 202 program. In addition, Brother Stratas served as president of AHEPA
National Housing Corporation (ANHC) from 1983 to 2009, and again, 2010 to 2012. The AHEPA National Housing program has
grown to include 95 HUD 202 properties in 21 states.
Brother Stratas was also an integral contributor to the Greek American community of Mobile's construction of Hippocrates
Park, which is located by the Medical Sciences and Health Sciences buildings at the University of South Alabama. Nick M. Stratas
Chapter 310 donated the statue of Hippocrates that stands in the park.
A native of Starkville, Mississippi, Brother Stratas graduated from Southern Mississippi University in 1961. He established Top
Music Co. in 1963 and was its president for 55 years.
Brother Nick was active in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and served as President of the Parish Council and was
chairman of the Greek Festival for 12 years. He was made an Archon of the Order of St. Andrew, the highest honor given to an
Orthodox layman, in New York in 1994.

Past Supreme Governor James Gaz
AHEPA mourns the passing of two-term Past Supreme Governor James Gaz, who died peacefully in Ketchum,
Idaho, May 8, 2018. He was 95.
An AHEPA Life Member, most recently of Chapter 154, Portland, Ore., Brother Gaz also served as Firwood
District 22 Governor, encompassing Washington, Oregon and Alaska; and prior to its consolidation, District 19. His
AHEPA career began as a member of the Junior Order, the Sons of Pericles, and even organized skiing trips for the
AHEPA Athletics Department.
A big part of his life he worked for Boeing Company where one his greatest achievements was his involvement
in the construction of the first Jumbo Jet, the Boeing 747. The visionary he was, in the early 1970s, Brother Jim started his own
company, Adelphi Inc. with two fellow engineers, building the company from the ground up.
"We are deeply saddened with the news of Brother Gaz's passing away," Supreme President Carl R. Hollister said. "Brother Gaz
will be remembered for his passion for AHEPA and for representing the Brothers of the Pacific Northwest with zeal and diligence
for decades. Our deepest sympathies are with his family. May his memory be eternal."

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Summer 2018 · THE AHEPAN

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