Nicholas James Chakakis

Lab retiree Nicholas James Chakakis, a resident of Livermore, died Nov. 15. He was 88.

Born Dec. 6, 1923 in Hanna, Wyo., he was the son of Greek immigrants James and Athena (Kotsifakis) Tsakakis. He graduated from Reliance High School in Reliance, Wyo. in 1940. He was a veteran of World War II and served as a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, assigned to the Atlantic theatre from 1943-1946.

He received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1948, and worked briefly in the coal mining industry. He was then called back to serve in the Korean War from 1951-1952. In 1954, he married Clara Mazanakis and they moved to Livermore where he took a position as an electrical engineer at the Lab, retiring 1972.

In 1972, he gained scientific notoriety as the engineer in charge of an archeological project under the direction of Luis Alvarez in conjunction with UC Berkeley. This joint Egyptian-American project hoped to identify undiscovered burial chambers in the Chephren pyramid in Giza and was one of the first to utilize computers for archeological exploration.

Chakakis was an avid pinochle player, dabbled in wine making and was a 65-year member of the Order of Elks fraternal organization.

He was preceded in death by his wife, who died in January this year.

He is survived by his four daughters, Athena, Mary, Christine and Antonia and their families, including seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held Friday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Resurrection, 20104 Center Street, Castro Valley. Funeral services will be conducted the following day, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m. at the church. Memorial donations may be made to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Resurrection.