Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

October 6, 2025

CHARLOTTE – Peter John Couchell (Panagiotis Ioannis Koutsogeorgas), 90, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Monday, October 6, 2025.  He was born in Arahova (Karyes), Laconia, Greece on June 4, 1935, to the late John Peter and Anastasia (Drougas) Couchell.

Peter had a strong entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, working alongside his father and mother in their family’s taverna.  Always one to create opportunity, at just five years old he set up a table and sold combs and other trinkets at a church panegyri.  In 1940, at the age of six, when his father was drafted into the Army to fight against the Italians in the Northern front, Peter vowed to reopen the family’s taverna in case his father did not return.  Upon hearing that his father was coming back home, Peter and his best friend, Ted Karres, went to the taverna to clean and prepare for his arrival.  Peter and his family endured many hardships during World War II and the occupation of his village, first by the Italians and then the Germans.  In 1943, at eight years old, Peter and all the villagers were lined up in the main square in front of a German firing squad and only saved at the last moment through the intervention of the American Red Cross. After the war ended, the Greek civil war began and brought more danger.  Peter’s father, John, was elected president of the village, but his life was threatened and in 1947 the family moved to Sparta.

Peter’s family emigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1949 where Peter worked first in his uncle’s restaurant washing dishes after school and then at a soda shop next door.  Two years later, in 1951, at the age of 16, Peter’s parents moved the family to Charlotte, NC for better opportunities where there was a thriving Arahovitan community and they were able to reunite with many of their family and friends.  There, he continued his entrepreneurial streak by working hard at a car wash, grocery store, and restaurant.  After a brief time, Peter’s parents opened Johnny’s Grill on Monroe Road and at only 16 years old, Peter took on the management of the restaurant.  Through his enthusiasm and natural talent for business and his innovative ideas, Peter successfully grew the business over the years until they sold it in 1959.  While helping to support the family, Peter also served honorably in the United States Army Reserves from 1956 to 1964.

At 25 years old, Peter set out to go into business for himself.  He started a vending food and beverage company, Charlotte Vending Service, which he owned and operated for forty years, when he sold it in 1998.  During this time in 1973, Peter met and married Dianna Faye Pope, a native North Carolinian, born and raised in the small rural town of Hallsboro.  Together, they built Couchell Investment Company, which develops, owns, and rents shopping centers and other commercial properties in the Charlotte area.

One of the most important things in Peter’s life was the church, his Orthodox faith and Greek heritage.  He and Faye and their five children, John, Anastasia, Christopher, Emily and Stephanie, were active members of both Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte.  As hard as Peter worked during the week, he and Faye always made sure that their family was in church every Sunday.  He was heavily involved in the life of the church and served as President of the Parish Council several times, helped grow the Yiasou Greek Festival, was an archon of the Order of Saint Andrew, President of the Adelphotis Arahoviton organization and worked on many projects of the Metropolis of Atlanta.  Peter and Faye were instrumental in the development of the Panagia Chapel at the Diakonia Retreat Center, Omni Montessori School and Socrates Academy.

Family was also very important to Peter, and he always looked for opportunities to be together with his extended family through Sunday lunches at Valentino’s and celebrations and holiday gatherings in his home.  He had a very close relationship with his siblings, Emily, George and Vivian and took the role of older brother to heart.  He also dearly loved all of his nieces and nephews.  Traveling back to Greece to visit family and friends brought Peter great joy.  He and Faye instilled a love of Greece in their children through their annual summer trips and as Peter grew older, he enjoyed spending more and more time there each year at his family home in Arahova and his beach home in Ermioni.  He cherished his time with his family (32 first cousins!) and always looked forward to the next trip.

Peter was a very generous man and shared his blessings with others.  He was philanthropic toward many causes and those in need.  He was always open, warm and ready to welcome friends, family and strangers into his home to share a meal and fellowship.  His friends and family treasured him for his true expression of the authentic Greek philoxenia.

Peter is survived by his wife Faye; son, John Couchell and his wife, Stavroula; daughter, Anastasia Petrou and her husband, Petros; son, Christopher Couchell and his wife, Jacquelyn; daughter, Sister Emily of Holy Dormition Monastery; daughter, Stephanie Couchell and eight grandchildren, Maria and Diana Couchell and Catherine, Peter, Elizabeth, Francis, Genevieve and Gregory Couchell.  He is also survived by his brother, George Couchell and his wife, Helen; sister, Presvytera Vivian Bacalis and her husband, the Very Rev. Father Nicholas G. Bacalis; niece, Presvytera Lea Tsahakis; nephew, John George Couchell; nieces, Katrina Kellen and Anastasia Stonestreet; many dear grandnieces and grandnephews; cousins and family in America and Greece.  He was preceded in death by his sister, Emily Crambes and her husband, John and niece, Ana Sistare.

The family extends their sincere love and gratitude to his dedicated caregivers, Maia Ntavitaia, Eros Buchkurashvili, Elizabeth Ntavitaia, Valentina Dzhanumove and Maia Kapadatze; for his beloved doctor, Pete Copsis and nephew, Father Dr. Paul Tsahakis for ministering to both his physical and spiritual needs so lovingly.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 11, 2025, Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church, 5108 Kuykendall Road, Charlotte, NC.  The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 9:00 AM until the time of the service.  Due to time constraints, the family will not be receiving visitors after the funeral service.  Interment will immediately follow at Evergreen Cemetery with military honors.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Peter to the Metropolis of Atlanta for the Iconography of the Panagia Chapel at the Diakonia Retreat Center (DRC).  Checks should be made payable to the Metropolis of Atlanta-DRC with Chapel-Peter Couchell in the memo line.  Mail checks to:  Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta, 2480 Clairmont Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329.

May His Memory Be Eternal.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.