Konstantin Stefanis

Konstantin Stefanis, 86, of Fleischmanns, NY, passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025 at The Paramount at Somers Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Somers, NY.

Konstantin Stefanis was of Greek Macedonian descent. He came from an area of the world from which Alexander the Great himself hailed from, the true Macedonia, of which Kastoria, Greece is located on the west side of the Macedonia region. Kastoria sits on the shores of Lake Orestiada, where it's been said that when the lake freezes over, the wolves venture across the lake over the frozen water into the village. Kastoria has also been known as the, "Fur capital of the world." Over the past centuries, Kastoria was world renowned for its fur garment craftsmanship tradition which carries on to this day. This furrier trade has been exemplified from the descendants of Kastoria who learned this generational trade which was passed down from father to son. These descendants settled around the world as part of the Greek Despora, who like most people, fleeing hardships of various forms took their trade and settled in foreign cities and made a life producing and creating some of the finest fur coats, hats, and leather goods the world has ever seen. Today, those craftsmen are dwindling due to the age of the craftsman, and economic variables affecting demand for the products mostly stemming from shifting attitudes towards this trade.

Konstantin Stefanis was one of those craftsmen.

Born 17 January 1939, along with his twin brother, was born into a family of 4 older brothers and one older sister. His parents' names were Georgios and Marika Stefanis, and they lived in a world that most of their forefathers knew. Struggle, war and occupation by hostile neighboring countries. In a few short months, while still nursing and in diapers, the arrival of WWII will greet Little Konstantin and his twin brother along with everyone else In Greece. During the next 5 years, Konstantin's family suffered the invasion of Mussolini's troops, who were defeated by the Greeks, and subsequently as a result, Greece was overrun by the German Nazi Military. Konstantin would recall of the partisan raids of the Greeks who lived in the surrounding mountains who would come down at night and give the Nazis grief, only to have the Nazis line up the villagers to shoot them during the day if they did not tell them who or where these Partisans where. Konstantin would recall the time the Nazis came and forcibly removed every Jewish person in his village and throughout Greece. When asked if he himself had any Jewish friends to play with, he responded, "I was too little to make any friends but my brothers had Jewish friends. The house next to us had a Jewish family living there, but I remember it being empty." It's been said that Greece suffered the worst during WWII at the hands of the Nazi occupation. Also, during this time, his twin brother died at the age of 5, after being hit by a car in front of their home located on 11 Venezelou St, when he was chasing a ball.

In Oct. of 1944 after intense fighting, the enemies of Greece, Bulgaria, and Germany withdrew from Greece. During that time came a few months of peace, but it was a simmering cauldron of underlying tensions which led to the actual Greek Civil War from 1946-1949 between the Greek Nationalist and the socialist/communists. Konstantin was now 7 years old. After the civil war, Konstantin tells of the repatriation of the Greek Communists back to Greece because they were home sick. Konstantin tells of a communist family that came to live in their home in Kastoria during that time. Konstantin said that it was "pretty crowded." When asked, "Why didn't his Father and the rest of the Greek population just say no?" Apparently, it was mostly a shift in attitude towards these people because many families were divided as a result of the civil discontent and it was an effort towards family reunification.

6 years later, in 1952 Konstantin was 13 years old. He left his home in Kastoria and went to Germany for work. He found a job in the fur garment industry.

Konstantin met a girl named Rosemarie Szagarus in 1957. She was a war Refugee from Konigsberg/ Ragnit Prussia, NKA, Kaliningrad Russia. In 1958, Konstantin was also notified of his mandatory compulsory military obligation to the Greek Armed forces. He hopped on his trusty BMW R50 motorcycle, kissed Rosemarie goodbye, and before he left, told her when his obligatory service would end, he would come back and they would get married. Off he rode back thru Europe from Frankfurt to Athens, Greece. He had to ride through Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, both hostile communist territories. He would reminisce about the issues he had at the border crossing into Yugoslavia, it was not a pleasant experience.

When Konstantin completed his military obligation, he returned back to Germany and to Rosemarie as promised. One day, when they were walking through the streets of Frankfurt, they walked by the American Consulate. Konstantin turned to Rosemarie on a whim and asked her if she wanted to go to America, she giggled, and said, "Sure why not?" The way Konstantin tells it, they went inside and said "Hey, can we go to America?" The American Representative he spoke to allegedly said "Sure, fill out this paper." In March of 1962, Konstantin, Rosemary, and their 6-month-old son named, Odysseus boarded the SS Rotterdam. Two weeks later the family debarked in the Port of NYC as legal immigrants, courtesy of a sponsor who was Konstantin's much older brother who resided in NYC.

During their stay in the United States, language became an issue. Unlike today, the only language available was English. Konstantin and Rosemarie had to learn English in order to function. Konstantin now spoke 3 languages, Greek, German, and English. Konstantin opened up 3 Fur factories in Hell's Kitchen, also known as the garment district of NYC. Eventually he relocated the business to Yonkers, NY on Mclean Ave in 1965, where he remained established until 2023, operating under the names Kastoria Exclusive Furs, and K & S Fur Salon. Konstantin and Rosemarie became US Naturalized Citizens in 1979. The entire testing and naturalizing process was in English and was completed through the US Postal System mail order.

Konstantin worked hard, he never asked anything from anyone because he did not want to owe anyone anything. His resilience paid off on so many levels. He was a self-taught electrician, engineer, welder, fabricator, pipe fitter, deep sea fisherman, boxer and wrestler and philosopher. Never had any formal education, which was not a hindrance. Mostly because it kept him from being indoctrinated into the debilitating herd mindset that stifles creativity. Konstantin was very creative. He hand built stainless steel utility dump trailers, using stainless steel because in his own words, "they never rust." Fabricated brass fire extinguishers into mufflers because they "never rust" and wanted to put Midas out of business. He built from the ground up various buildings, operated heavy equipment and had a complete repair/fabrication shop up in Fleischmanns.

He was married to the late Rosemarie Hanna Szagarus Stefanis, Rosemarie passed away in 1981.

He enjoyed arguing, fishing, working, building and tinkering on things.

He was a member of "Leave me the Hell Alone Club" and the "Private Property Owner Rights" club that opposes Eminent Domain issues of all kinds from all sources namely state and local governments.

Konstantin attended Church at The Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY and was a regular fixture at St George Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston, NY. Konstantin is survived by his son, Odysseus Stefanis and his wife Yenny of Kingston, NY.

In addition to his wife and parents he is predeceased by his entire family in Greece. Brothers, Vassilios, Stefanos, Andreas and Stellios, his sister, Nafsika and his son, Achillies Stefanis who passed in 2020. May all their memories be eternal.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Kingston, NY. Family and friends may visit from 10am to 11am on Friday, November, 7, 2025, at St. George Greek Orthodox, 294 Greenkill Ave., Kingston, NY 12401. The funeral service will begin at 11am with burial following in Shandaken Rural Cemetery. For those who wish, contributions in Konstantin's memory may be made to Orthodox Christian Mission Center: www.ocmc.org

A tribute for Konstantin can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family.