By George, He Got It!

"Don't ever take what I say too personally because I am an equal opportunity offender; though you do need a lot of work."
-- George D. Carameros III (said to me in 1996)

 

GEORGE DEMETRIOS CARAMEROS III - May 27, 1954 - October 25, 2019

To Nancy, Brittney, Courtney, and George IV - our thoughts and prayers are with you during this very difficult time...

My journey with George Carameros III began in 1996 when I took my 2 youngest daughters to a church retreat at Wilderness Ridge in Bastrop, TX (sadly WR burned down in a forest fire several years ago). It was an "open church weekend" verses a specific church retreat. We were grouped together alphabetically and so it was destined that the Candelaria's and the Carameros' would share a cabin and then proceed to compete in numerous daddy daughter events throughout the weekend. Team Candelaria (Greg, Tahni and Bayli) against Team Carameros (George, Brittany and Courtney).

Team Carameros smoked team Candelaria 10-0. I mean, not a single event was even close, in spite of the fact George was older than me and his daughters were younger than mine. After what he called the "ultimate spanking in family sports history", he invited us to come to his restaurant where he would buy my lunch to help heal my wounds and perhaps increase my strength. George would never let me, nor the city of Houston for that matter, forget the Carameros dominance as he retold this story countless times to friends and strangers whenever we dined at his restauarant over the last 23 years. It should be noted that over these last 23 years, George never allowed me to pay for my lunch. A generosity that I neither deserved nor required, but it is a large part of who he was as a human being. Generous to a fault, ALWAYS.

Proud Grandparents Nancy and George

My girls grew up affectionately calling him Uncle George and his appeal to thousands of people during his life was legendary. He never held his tongue when passionately defending positions he supported and held; yet he still endeared people on both sides of whatever issue he supported and freely communicated. It was a rare gift. Related, I must say that he could raise the temperature in a conversation faster than anyone I have ever known and that meant that no one would ever want to be on George's bad side. No one could out debate him nor out-smart him. He was a man of deep conviction who could not be swayed and could support his positions with facts and good old fashioned common sense. 

 

Lastly, he loved God and his family very much. I have such great saddness for his grandchildren who will never know what a great grandfather he was and would have been had he lived longer. I love you George Carameros and I will miss you always. You inspired me greatly with a wonderful sense of humor, an endless appetite for generosity, and the unfailing love that you had for those that you truly loved unconditionally. Rest in peace my brother.

Love, Greg 

Brooke Candelaria hugging on George

My brother from another mother, 60th BD

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