Lou with his wife of 48 years, Deppie, “I trust him with anything at anytime and our friends feel the same way.”

Lou Zakas is honored by his sister Betty, who says Lou was “my protector: He looked after me because I was the baby of the family. He is my blood and my brother and there is no other. I love him to death.”

Lou & Dennis running with the Olympic torch.

Former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell said of Lou: “He has been an extremely loyal political ally, a warm and personable friend, a fun guy to hang out with – he’s one of a kind, and many are better off as a result.”

Lou with Deppie and Dennis.

Sotiri and Lea Zervoulia say, “When we think of Lou we think of A Man in Full: full of life, love, family, friends, giving and faith. In ancient Greece, people came to Delphi, the center of the universe, to hear the oracle, get opinions, suggestions and debate issues of the day. In modern-day Atlanta, they gather at the Landmark Diner with Lou!”

Johnny Economy says, “I have known Louie all my life. I see him as a father figure, brother, mentor, leader and friend. His generosity is only exceeded by his kindness, loyalty, dedication, commitment to community, heritage and love of his family.”

Lou’s grandson Ned says “Papou is a good guy. He takes us to the mall, Braves games, the Landmark or his house, where we play War and Gin Rummy. Sometimes he calls me ‘xero kefalo,’ which is ‘hard headed’ in Greek. When I do something wrong, Papou doesn’t yell; he teaches me a lesson from it.”

Above: With grandchildren (clockwise), Page, Ned, Cabell and Virginia. Below: Lou (far right) with parents and siblings

His granddaughter Cabell remembers this past Christmas when “he tricked me. I picked up a grocery bag and it was full of crumpled $1 bills. He teaches me to say ‘se agapo.’ I love Papou bigger than a hundred.”
Granddaughter Virginia says, “If you’re hurt, he always tries to figure out how to fix it and make it better. He helps us in basketball. He took us to the Hellenic Center and taught us Greek dancing. He makes the best hamburgers and fruit salad.”

Granddaughter Page remembers, “This Summer he took us to Greece, where he taught us our heritage. He seems to know everyone wherever we go. He calls me Noula, short for Panoula, his mother’s name. I love his pancakes. He always wants to make us happy.”

Daughter-in-law Martie Zakas says, “He is one of those people who is larger than life. You feel his presence when he enters the room, probably because he has the biggest heart. As tough as he comes across on the exterior, he always senses who needs something and takes care of it. He’s a special grandfather and family patriarch.”

Lou’s son, Dennis Zakas, remembers “Growing up, Dad was my hero. He has always been hard working, honorable and respected by his community. He lost his entire business in the early ’70s, but he didn’t declare bankruptcy. Dad rolled up his sleeves, built a restaurant with his bare hands and paid everyone back. I am very proud of him. We have always had a relationship of mutual support and respect. He has also instilled in me a love of Hellenism. Although it was an honor to be the first Greek-American to run the torch in Greece, my happiest memory of the 1996 Olympics was running the Olympic torch with Dad in front of the State Capitol.”

His wife Deppie says, “I’ve been married to Lou for 48 years. I adore him. If there’s a need of any sort, he will jump in to help friends or family in any way. He’s generous with his time and money and himself. He’s fun, loyal and genuine. What you see is what you get. He’s my knight in shining armor.”