Rev. Peter Koskores, Orthodox chaplain for VA
Whether shuttling among veterans' facilities in Greater Boston or serving in South Carolina and Canada, the Rev. Peter B. Koskores ministered not just to Orthodox Christians but to those of any faith.
Father Koskores, the VA's first Greek Orthodox chaplain, died Sept. 16 of natural causes in the Sutton Hill Center nursing home in North Andover. He was 87.
His family and former colleagues remember him as a humble man who tirelessly worked to ease the burdens of others.
"He had a good singing voice, but kept things low key in his services," said the Rev. Athanasios Demos, who performed religious ceremonies with Father Koskores. "His generousness and humbleness as a person stood out the most in his services."
Father Koskores was born in Springfield to the Rev. Basil Koskores, who also was a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, and Eleni (Rigopoulos). Both had emigrated from Greece.
He attended Wilkes-Barre High School in Pennsylvania and graduated in 1944 from Holy Cross Theological School in Pomfret, Conn., now the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline.
Following in his father's footsteps, Father Koskores became a deacon of the Boston Greek Orthodox Cathedral. He served for about a year before his ordination in 1945.
Father Koskores married Evanthea (Collatos) of Boston in 1945. They divorced in the early 1970s after having two children.
"My father was the lead priest when both my brother and I were married and when our children were baptized," said his son, Ted of Braintree. "He was very much a part of our lives at those pivotal moments and milestones."
Following his ordination, Father Koskores served several churches. He spent two years at the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Church in Woburn, about two years at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Greenville, S.C., three years at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, and three years at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Keene, N.H.
His longest term as a parish priest was for six years at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Brockton.
After almost 20 years as a parish priest, Father Koskores was appointed a chaplain for the Veteran's Administration, now known as the Department of Veterans Affairs. As chaplain, he served veterans in Brockton, Boston, West Roxbury, and Watertown.
Father Koskores gave the benediction at President Kennedy's first presidential birthday party in 1961 at Commonwealth Armory in Boston. He retired from the VA in 1994.
Father Koskores also had a passion for traveling and history, evidenced by his collection of books on current affairs and biographies of former presidents.
"Our family had the chance to go to Greece for three months, and my father acted as the tour guide," said his other son, Nick of North Andover. "He was a proud Greek and knew the classical history of Greece without a professional tour guide."
In addition to his sons, Father Koskores leaves two granddaughters and three grandsons.
A funeral Mass will be said today at 11 a.m. in Holy Cross Chapel at Hellenic College in Brookline. Burial will be at 12:30 p.m. in Forest Hill Cemetery.
