Obituary for Peter Gevas
Peter Demosthenes Gevas MD., 84, of Tequesta, Florida, passed away on April 11, 2020. Peter was born to parents Daphne (Pappapaniyiotou) Gevas and Demosthenes Gevas, on August 30, 1935 in Newark, New Jersey.
Peter attended St. Patrick Elementary School, Seton Hall Preparatory School where he graduated top of his class in 1954. Peter went on to study science at St. Peters University in Jersey City, New Jersey graduating Suma Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958 and thereafter attended Seton Hall College of Medicine. He graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1962.
Dr. Peter D. Gevas performed his medical internship at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York City, NY from 1962-1963. He thereafter postponed his residency to serve as a lieutenant in the United States Navy as the medical doctor for the USS Lake Champlain. He served two years on board the USS Lake Champlain from September 1963 through 1965, and always spoke of these years on the aircraft carrier with fondness. The USS Lake Champlain was the recovery ship for the Gemini II launch in January 19, 1965 and the Gemini V recovery on August 29, 1965, both capsules of which are now in the Smithsonian.
After service to his country, Peter completed his Radiological Residency at Montefiore Hospital – Albert Einstein College of Medicine from September 1965 through 1968. He was selected and appointed Chief Resident and Instructor of Radiology in 1967. In 1968, he became an Attending Physician at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, NY, being Board Certified in Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiology. Peter additionally became an Attending Physician in Radiology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he sub-specialized in Angiography and was also appointed as the Director of Radiology Residency Training.
In 1971, Peter joined the Medical Arts Radiology Group, which was affiliated with both Huntington Hospital, Huntington, NY and Southside Hospital, Bayshore NY where over the years he introduced and established numerous new vascular procedures; most notably, he was the first to perform ultrasonically guided biopsy in Huntington Hospital. Peter served as Chief of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Huntington Hospital from 1990 through 2000. He was appointed as a Member of the Board of Huntington Hospital from 1991 through 2000, and became Director of the Huntington Hospital Breast Care Center in 1993.
He was the driving force behind the formation of the Huntington Hospital Breast Care Center, which opened in the Spring of 1993. It was the first such unit in Suffolk County which not only provided high quality mammography and ultrasound, but also provided state-of-the-art computer guided biopsy capability, thereby preventing the need for surgery in many cases. As a result of this Breast Care Center, Suffolk County and The Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition in America recognized his significant contributions to the social, cultural and economic quality of life in Suffolk County, NY and proclaimed October 1, 1998 as Dr. Peter D. Gevas Day.
Peter also collaborated with GE in the 1970s and designed the first of its kind automated repositioning table for cardiac patients to aid in the efficiency of cardio radiological studies without the need for manual repositioning. His design was created and first used at Southside Hospital. Peter worked as a physician for 38 years and retired in 2000.
Many passions were enjoyed in his lifetime. Peter enjoyed sailing, scuba diving with his son, was a masterful carpenter and wood worker, loved building and creating, whether it was computers, audio speakers or Japanese gardens. He was an audiophile extraordinaire, a die-hard Giants football fan, a member of AHEPA, a member of both St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in Greenlawn, NY and St. Catharine’s Greek Orthodox Church in West Palm Beach, FL. His knowledge and love of classical music knew no boundaries and he and his wife were regulars at the Metropolitan Opera House for decades. Peter was a beacon of intellect, strength, kindness, and generosity. He was soft spoken, and most of all modest in the truest sense of his role as a physician, giving to all and expecting nothing in return. He lived by the motto “When there is a will there is a way”. Nothing was ever an impossibility as long as one had the will and determination to succeed, and the belief to know that anything was possible. This is how Peter lived his life, and what he instilled in his family and to those who were in his company always.
Peter is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Olga (Gardianos) Gevas, his daughter Alexandra Gevas Juliano (Anthony Juliano), his daughter Ariadne Aspasia Gevas, and his son Thane Peter Gevas (Persefoni Fokas). He is also survived by his beloved 4 grandchildren, Sophia and Ava Juliano, Ariana and Athan Peter Gevas, and his nephew Peter Moutis (Chitra Moutis), and niece Daphne Moutis.
Peter is preceded in death by his mother Daphne (Pappapanayiotou) Gevas, father Demosthenes Gevas, sister Evangeline (Gevas) Moutis, uncle Dr. Menelaus Peters, nephew Christopher George Moutis.
The funeral will be live streamed by St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 1:00pm at www.stcatherine-wpb.org. The burial will be on April 23, 2020 at 1:00pm at St. George Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Neptune, New Jersey. Both services are private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) for the Education of Orthodox Children,110 West Road, Suite 360, Baltimore, MD 21204 (410)243-9820
Peter attended St. Patrick Elementary School, Seton Hall Preparatory School where he graduated top of his class in 1954. Peter went on to study science at St. Peters University in Jersey City, New Jersey graduating Suma Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958 and thereafter attended Seton Hall College of Medicine. He graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1962.
Dr. Peter D. Gevas performed his medical internship at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York City, NY from 1962-1963. He thereafter postponed his residency to serve as a lieutenant in the United States Navy as the medical doctor for the USS Lake Champlain. He served two years on board the USS Lake Champlain from September 1963 through 1965, and always spoke of these years on the aircraft carrier with fondness. The USS Lake Champlain was the recovery ship for the Gemini II launch in January 19, 1965 and the Gemini V recovery on August 29, 1965, both capsules of which are now in the Smithsonian.
After service to his country, Peter completed his Radiological Residency at Montefiore Hospital – Albert Einstein College of Medicine from September 1965 through 1968. He was selected and appointed Chief Resident and Instructor of Radiology in 1967. In 1968, he became an Attending Physician at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, NY, being Board Certified in Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiology. Peter additionally became an Attending Physician in Radiology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he sub-specialized in Angiography and was also appointed as the Director of Radiology Residency Training.
In 1971, Peter joined the Medical Arts Radiology Group, which was affiliated with both Huntington Hospital, Huntington, NY and Southside Hospital, Bayshore NY where over the years he introduced and established numerous new vascular procedures; most notably, he was the first to perform ultrasonically guided biopsy in Huntington Hospital. Peter served as Chief of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Huntington Hospital from 1990 through 2000. He was appointed as a Member of the Board of Huntington Hospital from 1991 through 2000, and became Director of the Huntington Hospital Breast Care Center in 1993.
He was the driving force behind the formation of the Huntington Hospital Breast Care Center, which opened in the Spring of 1993. It was the first such unit in Suffolk County which not only provided high quality mammography and ultrasound, but also provided state-of-the-art computer guided biopsy capability, thereby preventing the need for surgery in many cases. As a result of this Breast Care Center, Suffolk County and The Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition in America recognized his significant contributions to the social, cultural and economic quality of life in Suffolk County, NY and proclaimed October 1, 1998 as Dr. Peter D. Gevas Day.
Peter also collaborated with GE in the 1970s and designed the first of its kind automated repositioning table for cardiac patients to aid in the efficiency of cardio radiological studies without the need for manual repositioning. His design was created and first used at Southside Hospital. Peter worked as a physician for 38 years and retired in 2000.
Many passions were enjoyed in his lifetime. Peter enjoyed sailing, scuba diving with his son, was a masterful carpenter and wood worker, loved building and creating, whether it was computers, audio speakers or Japanese gardens. He was an audiophile extraordinaire, a die-hard Giants football fan, a member of AHEPA, a member of both St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in Greenlawn, NY and St. Catharine’s Greek Orthodox Church in West Palm Beach, FL. His knowledge and love of classical music knew no boundaries and he and his wife were regulars at the Metropolitan Opera House for decades. Peter was a beacon of intellect, strength, kindness, and generosity. He was soft spoken, and most of all modest in the truest sense of his role as a physician, giving to all and expecting nothing in return. He lived by the motto “When there is a will there is a way”. Nothing was ever an impossibility as long as one had the will and determination to succeed, and the belief to know that anything was possible. This is how Peter lived his life, and what he instilled in his family and to those who were in his company always.
Peter is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Olga (Gardianos) Gevas, his daughter Alexandra Gevas Juliano (Anthony Juliano), his daughter Ariadne Aspasia Gevas, and his son Thane Peter Gevas (Persefoni Fokas). He is also survived by his beloved 4 grandchildren, Sophia and Ava Juliano, Ariana and Athan Peter Gevas, and his nephew Peter Moutis (Chitra Moutis), and niece Daphne Moutis.
Peter is preceded in death by his mother Daphne (Pappapanayiotou) Gevas, father Demosthenes Gevas, sister Evangeline (Gevas) Moutis, uncle Dr. Menelaus Peters, nephew Christopher George Moutis.
The funeral will be live streamed by St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 1:00pm at www.stcatherine-wpb.org. The burial will be on April 23, 2020 at 1:00pm at St. George Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Neptune, New Jersey. Both services are private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) for the Education of Orthodox Children,110 West Road, Suite 360, Baltimore, MD 21204 (410)243-9820