Obituary of Samuel C. Dimas

Samuel C. Dimas, 95, passed away at 7:50 a.m. Friday, (November 12, 2021) in Heritage Green Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing, Greenhurst NY. He was born November 3, 1926, in Rochester N.Y., the son of Nicholas and Evelyn (Theodore) Dimas, Both of which were born in Albania and became United States citizens. Following his family's move from Rochester to Jamestown in 1941 and graduation from Jamestown High School in 1945, he served briefly in the Army National Guard and enjoyed a short baseball career playing for Boston Red Sox farm league teams. He continued to work in his family-owned restaurants such as the Manhattan Restaurant and the Palace Lunch, where he met his future wife Elizabeth M. Shumsky of Corry PA whom he married December 14, 1947. He started work at Jamestown Veneer and Plywood (JVP, later AVM) where he was continuously employed until his retirement at age 65 as a supervisor. Following a short post-retirement consulting stint with JVP, he became an original team member of the Sam's Club in Lakewood when they first opened and worked there until his final retirement at the age of 88 shortly before the store closed. He enjoyed meeting and greeting all his friends and customers there and welcomed conversations about "the Club". He continued to live in the Trenton Street home he built with his wife in 1956 until his move to Brookdale Assisted Living in 2018, followed by his final move to Heritage Green in 2020. He loved sports, especially baseball, and continued to follow the Boston Red Sox. He helped coach several youth baseball teams, enjoyed bowling in several local leagues and was an occasional golfer. He was a member of the Jamestown Area Old-Timers Baseball organization from 1982 to 1985, enjoying both the sport and its camaraderie. In early years, he strove to maintain and improve the family home, indoors and out. He and his wife tended not only the home gardens, but also several off-site plots at both the Jamestown City Gardens and later on rural property owned by family-in-law. Annual trips for berry and apple picking were day-long excursions. He is survived by two sons; Matthew S. (Diana) Dimas of Jamestown, and Mark S. (Carolyn) Dimas of Rogers, Arkansas, two grandsons; Nathan S. (Melissa) Dimas of Jacksonville FL, and Aaron C. Dimas of Memphis TN, three granddaughters; Brittany M. Dimas of Parma Ohio, Kelsey E. Dimas of Norman OK, and Katherine L. (Dr. Robert) North of Houston TX, two great-grandsons: Ethan S. Russell of Parma OH and Owen Y. North of Houston TX, and two great-granddaughters: Riley L. Dimas of Jacksonville and Abigail L. North of Houston. He also is survived by his sister Helen (late Ken) Bruner of Jamestown and his brother Thomas (Donna) Dimas in California. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth, brothers James, William, Christ, and George Dimas and sister Dorothy Dimas. Initially a member of St Nicholas Greek Orthodox church, he later attended Saints Peter and Paul R.C. Church in Jamestown with his wife and family. The funeral will be held at 1 pm Saturday, November 20, 2021, in the Lind Funeral Home. The Rev. Paul Cygan, parochial vicar of St. James Catholic Church will officiate. Burial will be in the Sunset Hill Cemetery. Friends will be received from 7-9 p.m. Friday in the funeral home, where masks are required while inside the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Holy Apostles Parish, SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 508 Cherry St., Jamestown NY 14701.