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Louis A. Kousoulos, “Junior,” passed away peacefully Aug. 6, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family.
Junior was born Aug. 23, 1932, in Cody to Louis A. Kousoulos Sr. and Rosa Kousoulos.
Junior married his high school sweetheart Dianne on Oct. 8, 1953. They had three children: Sheila Rae, Louis Alan and Tammi Lynn.
He graduated from Cody High School in 1951. While he was in high school, he was vice president of student council, all-district band for four years, and all-state band first chair solo trumpet. He played four years in football and basketball, including three years in track, all-conference in basketball, football and team captain.
After high school, Junior put himself through college playing pool and trumpet in a dance band. He attended Northwest College and graduated with a degree in business administration.
He served time in the Marine Corps under their PLC program, and went to Officers School in Quantico, Virginia, in the summer of 1953. After an honorable discharge due to a football knee injury, he married the love of his life Dianne.
He and Dianne spent 32 years in the food and retail business. They owned and operated the Mayflower Café and King’s Castle. In addition, they held a Forest Service contract feeding the firefighters until the Forest Service food trucks arrived in Cody.
They also had a very large catering business. Bob Dohse and Junior put on the largest sit-down dinner ever held in Cody at the Switzer Gymnasium. They served 1,632 people in 45-50 minutes from start to finish. The party was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Nielson.
He and Dianne shared a love of playing golf. During his golfing years he held the position of president and chairman of the board at Olive Glenn Golf and Country Club.
After leaving the restaurant business in 1975, Junior went into real estate. In the fall of 1999, he started his own brokerage, Eagle Real Estate, in downtown Cody. He was well known in the Cody region and had a successful career as a realtor up until a year before his passing.
Other accomplishments and offices held by Junior over the years included vestry of Christ Episcopal Church and Licensed Lay Reader, past president of Park County Golf and Country Club, past president of Hill Top Trap Club, past president of Buffalo Bill Flying Club, past director and board member of Wyoming Boy Scouts of America, past scoutmaster, past president and chairman of the Board of Cody Chamber Retail Committee, past president of Kalif Shrine Club, past member of State of Wyoming Urban Systems Advisory Board, original member of Shrine Sheep Eater Indians, Advisory Board of Hospital Home Health Care, Board of Directors of Northwest College Alumni, past national director for Wyoming Job Service, champion trap-shooter and golfer.
Our dad was a man of few words, but he loved his family. We will miss his candid sayings, his quick wit and the stories he would tell.
He was a John Wayne fan and loved his Westerns. You would often find him watching his favorite shows, which included Gunsmoke, The Virginian and Walker Texas Ranger among others. He enjoyed his morning coffee and newspaper, followed by a nap. If you happened to see him on the street, you would undoubtedly recognize him by his white Greek fisherman’s hat. He never went without it. Another hat he was known for was his bah-humbug hat. His yearly ritual was to start wearing it the day after Thanksgiving up until the day after Christmas. The funny thing was, he bought all the outdoor Christmas decorations and made sure they were displayed every year for our mom, because she loved Christmas.
We love him with all our hearts and will greatly miss him, but know he is reunited with our mom, at last. Something he’s wanted ever since she went to heaven.
Junior was preceded in death by the love of his life, Dianne, his father, Louis A. Kousoulos Sr., his mother Rosa Kousoulos, his stepfather Carl Vanhooser, his sister Mary McPhee, and his grandson Richard (Adam) West.
He is survived by his daughter Sheila (Rick) Asher, Alan (Amy) Kousoulos, Tammi (David) DeLong, seven grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kalif Shrine Club for Children, St. Jude’s Hospital, Spirit Mountain Hospice or Toys for Tots.
Funeral services will be Friday, Aug. 27, at 11 a.m., at Christ Episcopal Church. Please join us in Junior’s celebration of life to follow at 1 p.m. at Olive Glenn Golf and Country Club.
An online guestbook is available at www.BallardFH.com.
