Obituary: ​Nicholas "Niko" Provatas, 92, of Waterford

Information via Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Homes

Nicholas "Niko" Provatas, 92, passed away peacefully at his home in Waterford with his wife of 59 years, Angeliki Provatas, and his daughter, Rita Provatas, at his side on February 8, 2017.

Niko was the son of Anastasios and Antonia Kermidas Provatas. Born in Paterson, New Jersey on May 4, 1924, Niko returned to his parents' native country of Greece at the age of six months and spent his childhood and teen years on the island of Limnos. There, he experienced the hardship of life under the control of the Nazi regime, as he and other teenagers were forced to work in the kitchens and prepare food for German troops. After the war, he made his way back to the United States, joining family in the New London area. Niko began to put his experiences to good use, working in various restaurants including the Hygienic Restaurant while also working at Pfizer.

In 1958, he met and married his bride, Angeliki, and together they started what came to be a New London institution. In 1962, along with Niko's brother Athanasios and his wife Alexandra, they opened Ocean Pizza Palace. In 1966, they were joined by his brother-in-law Sotirios "Sam" Vafidis.

The family had a simple but powerful vision: to offer great food and hospitality in a family environment where they could build relationships and community with their customers. They succeeded. People from all over Southeastern Connecticut came to Ocean Pizza - families celebrating milestones, Polkabration celebrants from Ocean Beach, students from St. Joseph's to the Coast Guard and Connecticut College, and people who just needed a meal and a little friendly company. Angie and Niko knew most of their customers on a first name basis and soon learned their favorite meals as well.

Angie greeted the customers in the front, and Niko ran the kitchen, often preparing meals before people even ordered them. He created the concept of family meals, with staple entrees such as his signature fish 'n chips and whole fried belly clams, and the famous Ocean Pizza rice pudding that customers still return for every day. In the kitchen, Niko also taught countless young Greeks how to cook and run a restaurant, and today many have places of their own.

Niko and Angie worked very hard building their business. It was long days, seven days a week, but Niko still found time to enjoy one of his life's passions: fishing. He would often be seen hopping his small boat after a long day, returning with his catch and then going back to work. Many times, his catch would become the Ocean Pizza "special of the day."

In 1997, Niko and Angie made the hard decision to retire and pass the business on to Sam, who still owns and operates it to this day. Niko and Angie were devoted to helping Rita and Spyros raise their two young grandsons, Nick and Michael. Every summer for the next ten years, they took the boys to the island of Samothraki, Greece, where Niko had built a retirement home. He gave his grandsons a love of the ocean, the pleasures of a simple life, and the values of family and tradition.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Rita Provatas, son-in-law Spyros Spanos and grandchildren Nicholas and Michael Spanos, of Waterford; sister Euthemia and her husband Constantine Alateras of Melborne, Australia; sister Angeliki Dimitroulias, of Florida; brother and sister-in-law, Aristidi and Chrisoula Provatas, of Tarpon Springs; sister-in-law Alexandra Provatas of Alexandroupolis, Greece and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers Pericles, George, Constantine and Athanasios.

The Provatas family would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Center for Hospice Care Southeast CT and in particular Dawn, Jim and Barbara. You made the last two weeks of his life extremely comfortable and greatly assisted us in helping him pass to his forever afterlife with strength and courage.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 13th at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 200 Hempstead Street, and New London. Visiting hours are Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Thomas L. Neilan Funeral Home, 48 Grand Street, Niantic, Ct.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church or Center for Hospice Care Southeast CT, www.hospicesect.org.

Please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com to view the online video tribute or to leave a condolence message for Niko's family.