Steve Jordan gathers tributes to James Kalasarinis who died recently. He was a friend to many in the international moving industry, with mythological looks and an unforgettable smile.
James Kalasarinis from Attica Movers in Athens died unexpectedly in May. I confess that I didn’t know him well. When our paths crossed, he was always friendly, kind, impossibly good looking and dressed like a movie star. Why we were not closer I have no idea. But in compiling this short tribute to him, it has become abundantly clear that my life would have been richer if I had been.
Fortunately, there are many in the industry who did rank amongst James’ friends. They pay honour to him far more eloquently than I ever could.
Jeff Wangler, from Aires in the USA, tells his story. “I met James at the BAR at Stratford Upon Avon in the early 90s. After talking to him for a few hours, he asked me where I was from, I said ‘Pittsburgh’. I asked him where he was from and he said ‘Athens’, then he laughed, the Greek accent left him and he said: ‘Actually, I am from New York’ (spoken in a heavy NY accent). We both just laughed. I asked him why he didn’t use his NY accent. He said: ‘I work for a large Greek company, and I have a lot of family here, so I use both - but I thought being at the convention, they would want to hear me be Greek.’ We were great friends ever since. The things I will remember most about James is his constant smile, he was quiet until you got to know him and then he was really a deep and funny guy but fiercely loyal as your friend. We spent many, many conventions together and he always came to our dinners we had with our group of friends. Quiet in a large group but once everyone got to know him, he was part of the group and a great friend to us all. When people leave this earth suddenly, nothing prepares you, and you always have that feeling that you had so much more to do with your friendship. James was kind, warm and had a great smile when he saw you. He never liked to say ‘goodbye’ so I will just say ‘See you sometime soon my friend, you are missed.”
Gordon Bell from Asian Tigers said he found it hard to get close to James at first. “But after a few, I wouldn’t say meetings, more just one-on-one niceties about business, and a bit on our personal lives, we became sort of more than casual friends. He would recognise me and feel comfortable enough to say hello, although he left the rest to me. We would engage in a conversation or just each of us shake each other’s hand and move on. A mutual friend reintroduced us a few years later and from that moment, he did become much more open and more confident in being left with me and not having that mutual friend close by. So, I guess I have to say he was possibly very shy, maybe a bit of a loner who kept things close to himself.”
Gordon continued: “Then a few years later we had an opportunity to be left alone, and for one reason or another, I shared a story with him that obviously touched him enough for him to completely open up. We then continued over lunch and spoke well into the late afternoon, you just couldn’t shut him up, that was nice. It’s what real friends do, not a minute to lose to get everything out as that moment might end when we both had to move on. He went through some tough times in his life which he mostly regretted, but recently, he had gone through even more which he was not really prepared to open up to or resolve, and sadly to say, that is where we are today. He was a gentle man, kind and with the greatest smile, that is when he used it, it was one of those huge welcoming, infectious smiles. He had it in him to be happy and I so remember that laugh when he found something funny. I will miss you dear James, gone too soon, we had so many more occasions to sit and blether, and for me to put that smile on your face whenever I could. Rest in peace my friend.”
Martina Burke from AGM Group said that she had the privilege of knowing James for many years - not just as a colleague, but as a dear friend. “He was a gentle soul, with a constant smile that could light up any room,” she said. “There was a quiet serenity about him that made people feel calm and safe just by being near him. The character of the life he lived might be summed up in a few words: he was sincere, he was gentle, he was loyal and had the most amazing sense of humour. For over 30 years, he gave so much to our industry, always with kindness, humility, and grace. His presence was steady, his heart was open, and his laughter something I’ll always hear in my mind. A piece of my heart is now a star in the sky. Gone too soon. I miss him, but I carry his serenity and smile with me, always.”
Finally, Nigel Mayo Saunders from Nuss in Australia said that his untimely passing was a shock to his many friends. “He was a quiet, dignified man, always impeccably dressed, with an imposing stature. Hard to miss in a crowd. Harder still to accept that he is gone, that we will no longer see him again. He was loyal to his friends and respected by us for this, as well as for his countless other attributes. James was a mover at heart, he loved the moving business and, over his long career, chose to share his great knowledge and ability extensively within the moving industry in Greece and the Balkans. James was a proud and devoted father to his son, his greatest pride. He will be truly missed by his many friends. His smile, his kind words, his sense of humour, his solid friendship. He leaves us, his friends, with many happy memories. Never to be forgotten.”
Photos:
James (right) with Jeff Wangler from Aires.
James’s smile.
James with Martina Burke from AGM Group.