Spiro N. Cocotas Obituary
Spiro ("Steve") Nicholas Cocotas, 86, passed away peacefully on December 26, 2022, after a courageous battle with cancer. He spent his final day surrounded by his loving family, and as the stubborn, sweet man that he was, he waited until we left him for the evening before he would finally let go.
He was born on September 22, 1936, in Gloucester, MA to Nicholas Cocotas (a Greek immigrant) and Georgia (Peparis) Cocotas of Lowell, MA. His father came to Ellis Island in 1909 at the age of 14 with hardly a penny to his name, worked hard and owned Boulevard Grocery in Gloucester for years, where Steve worked as a child along with his sister, Irene. He graduated in 1954 from Gloucester High School, married Patricia (Holm), and had one son, Stephen Cocotas, whose fondest memory of his dad was just the two of them tossing the baseball to each other when he was a young boy.
Steve was both an established musician and an avid car collector, always upgrading his ride to the latest, greatest, fanciest convertible. His 1950's band, the Silvertones, was even offered a recording contract with Columbia, for two songs - "Are We Drifting Apart" (which Steve wrote) and "Bootleg Rock & Roll". He was in various bands over the years, many with his second wife, Linda (Crippen) Cocotas. His daughter, Heather Lacey, remembers going to band practices and bars around Gloucester when she was young, listening to the music and thinking her dad was so cool. Both of his children loved to hear him play the guitar and sing silly songs to them when they were young. His last band, the Three Mates, performed well into his 70s around Gloucester.
Steve worked in various industries over the years, including United Shoe, Gloucester Engineering, his own cleaning business, selling real estate, and was co-owner of a 72-ft French-built sailboat, the Mimi (of the PBS education-series "Voyage of the Mimi" fame). He also served our country as a member of the National Guard.
Other than a lifelong love of music and his beloved cigarettes, one of his biggest pleasures later in life was a hot coffee and an everything bagel with jelly, catching up with all the guys on his daily visit to Donut Jim's in Gloucester. Nothing made him smile more when someone offered to take him over there.
Steve's neighbors at Poplar Park helped look out for him, and in his final days, his favorite nurse Jenna would bribe him with strawberry ice cream to make sure he behaved for the staff. Steve's family wishes to give extra thanks to Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for taking such good care of him in his final days.
Steve is survived by his sister, Irene (Cocotas) Wall and her husband, Edward Wall of Gloucester, MA; former wife, Linda Cocotas of Magnolia, MA; son Stephen Cocotas and his wife, Judi of Rockport, MA; daughter Heather (Cocotas) Lacey of Warren, MA; four grandchildren (Nick Cocotas, Becky Cocotas and her fiancée Dan Bates, Samantha Lacey and Cabot Lacey).
A graveside service will be held on Monday, January 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. in Beechbrook Cemetery in West Gloucester. Family and friends are cordially invited.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in his name to Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 292 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA 01930. Arrangements are by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St. Gloucester.
