Pete Souhlas, 82, of Sterling, Illinois, passed away peacefully at his home on May 30, 2026. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and community member. 

Pete was born to Athanasios and Stamatina Souhlas in a one-room house on a hilltop in rural Greece in 1943 and made his way to the US by ship in the late 1960s. Pete called in sick one day from a dishwashing job he had in Chicago to introduce himself to a Greek woman, Pam, working the coat check at a fancy lobster restaurant. They married soon after and found their way to Sterling in 1976 when they bought the Parkway Village Family Restaurant, which they ran together until their retirement in 2005. They served over 5 million meals together. 

One of Pete’s core principles was giving. He gave flowers and vegetables from his garden. He gave large containers of soup and homemade pies to his customers. He gave lollipops and toy cars to kids that visited the restaurant. He gave platters of food to people across the community during times of sadness and celebration. He gave his wife countless reasons to smile and laugh every day, and he gave his kids the education and support they needed to create their own thriving families. Throughout his life he gave joy to those around him with his humor and compassion.

Pete is survived by his wife, Pam; his children Tina, Evette, and Tom and their spouses Edmund, Gavin, and Samantha; his tenacious grandchildren, Simon, Pete, Cora, Penelope, and Maia; his siblings Vasili and Margarita; and dozens of cousins, nephews, and nieces around the world. Pete was preceded in death by his siblings Dimitra and Antonis.

A visitation will be held at Anderson Funeral Home, 2011 S 4th St, Dekalb on June 3rd from 4pm - 7pm.

A funeral service will be held at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, 320 S 2nd St, Dekalb  on June 4th at 11am. Interment will follow at Fairview Park Cemetery. 

The family invites all who knew Pete to attend and share their memories.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Pete’s memory to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and Rock River Hospice.