Peter E. Zaharis

ITHACA - Peter E. Zaharis, 92, passed away May 13, 2020, at Oak Hill Manor. He was the son of the late Evangelos and Garefalia Marinos Zaharis. Peter was born in Cortland, New York, in November of 1927. He graduated from Groton High School with honors and attended Cornell University for a year before enlisting in the Army. Peter spent many years in Germany and Austria after the war where he became fluent in both German and Russian. After his time in the service, Peter would return home to Ithaca in 1953 and bought what was then the West End Candy Kitchen, a local soda fountain and candy store. The following year he married the love of his life Pipetsa Chacona and started a family. Being the ambitious person he was, Pete, as he was known to his friends, eventually bought the candy store building and enlarged it to become the West End landmark named PETE’S Grocery Store on Taughannock Blvd. For many years, Pete had a strong interest in local history, antiques and a deep fascination for Ithaca Calendar Clocks. At one point, he had one of the largest collections in the country. He used to have them arranged around the store on top of the display cases. Every Sunday he would tell his children to go around and wind the clocks up. Every hour when they would strike, it would bring a smile to his face. Always believing in the West End and its potential, Pete decided to spread his wings in 1972. He bought and tore down the old Robinson and Carpenter Warehouses along the inlet and in its place he built a Laundromat which to this day is still called Pete’s Coin Laundry. In 1981 Pete decided he needed a change so he sold his Grocery Store to his son Mark and started another business across the street called The Unfinished Furniture Store. He ran the store with his wife Pipetsa until she passed away in 1996. In 1984, Pete built the West End Car Wash which eventually became the “New” PETE’S and Pete’s Wine & Liquor in 1995. He loved gardening, mowing his many acres of lawn and spending time with his family. He will always be remembered for his warm smile and for treating everyone with respect, appreciation and fairness. He was predeceased by his wife Pipetsa, his grandson Peter (Mack), his sisters Adamandia Dentes, Connie Ward, Antonia Pappas and his brother Leon. He is survived by his three sons, Leon (Judith), Peter (Debbie Preston), and Mark (Adrienne); his grandchildren Alexis, Mark, Elizabeth, Samantha, Karissa, Desiree; great grandchildren Trenton and Tanner, and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations in Pete’s memory can be made to Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church or The History Center in Tompkins County. Due to the current pandemic, a celebration of Pete’s life will be held at a later time.