Harry Keares

It is with great sadness that our family announces the passing of Harry P. Keares, age 83 of Lancaster, PA on January 5, 2025 at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center. Loving husband, father and eldest of seven siblings, Harry was born March 1, 1941 on the island of Kos, Greece, to parents Petros and Maria Keares and step-mother Evangelia Keares.

An eternal optimist and adventurous at heart, Harry immigrated to the United States in 1956 seeking education and opportunity, making the three-week transatlantic voyage alone at the age of 15 without knowing a word of English. He settled in Lancaster where he lived with his uncle Apostoli and aunt Lillian. Always a hard worker, he often held multiple jobs during his high school and college years to help support his family in Greece and to pay his way through school.

Harry was a truly kind and honorable soul who, in his 83 years, never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He led by example exhibiting honesty and integrity, always looking for the best in people and was quick to offer a genuine smile and assistance to those in need. He instilled these qualities in his children and took great pride in their accomplishments and education; daughter Maria and Husband Jeff owners of Wyant Architecture and sons Peter and Nicholas, restaurateurs, brewers and distillers. He also loved the church and the Greek Orthodox Service and remained a lifelong member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster as well as St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Naples, FL.

An engineer and mathematician, Harry was always interested in the science and numbers behind how things worked. He attended McCaskey High School and, given his English language handicap, excelled at mathematics and physics. In 1964 he graduated from Millersville University with a degree in mathematics and minor in Russian language. Harry’s first job was at RCA, where he worked as an engineer as part of the team tasked with improving performance of the color picture tube, and he quickly excelled at process and data analysis. In 1968, after accepting an engineering position at Honeywell Corporation, he moved his wife Irene and young son Peter to the Boston suburbs where daughter Maria and son Nicholas were born.

As the first of his immediate family to arrive and establish himself in this country, Harry was very instrumental in helping his siblings travel to and adjust to living in the United States; the spare bedrooms in his home often occupied by his brothers and sisters as they arrived from Greece in the 1960’s and early 1970’s.

In 1975 Harry joined brothers-in-law Peter, Ted, George and Pete Skiadas in Skiadas Brothers Enterprises, a family company operating restaurants and gift shops in Pennsylvania. Harry learned the business and applied his systematic approach to managing operations at the Windmill Restaurant where his genuine smile and kindness made him a local favorite. In 1993, along with sons Peter and Nicholas, Checkers Restaurant in Lancaster was launched, followed by Doc Holliday’s, Gibraltar and Lancaster Brewing Company. Throughout his professional career Harry believed strongly in giving back to the community that supported him and his family, supporting local farmers, donating food and beverages and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for countless causes in central Pennsylvania.

Harry is survived by his loving wife Irene Keares (nee Skiadas); children Peter, Maria (Jeff) and Nicholas (Athena) and grandchildren Reni, Kelli, Harris, Rina and Effie. Harry is also survived by brothers Steven, Nicholas John, Costas, and sisters Christina Hatzivasilis and Eleni Kourgelis.

A viewing will take place Thursday, January 9, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm with the Trisagion Service at 7:00 pm at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603. A second viewing will take place Friday, January 10, 2025 at 9:30 am, followed by the funeral at 10:30 am; the service officiated by Rev. Hector Firoglanis and, brother of the deceased, Rev. Costas Keares, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603. Interment in Conestoga Memorial Park Cemetery, Lancaster, PA.

In lieu of flowers kindly consider a contribution in Harry’s memory to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603.