Kyriakos Savvas “Jerry” Tselios, a former co-owner of the longtime Wheaton staple Ferdinand’s Restaurant and a cherished member of the local Greek community, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2025. He was 77.
According to an obituary shared by Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Silver Spring, Tselios was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his passing. Born on September 7, 1948, in the village of Maritsa on the island of Rhodes, he was the son of Savvas and Anastasia Tselios. From an early age, he was known for his humility, discipline, and strong sense of responsibility, traits that would shape both his personal life and his decades-long culinary career.
Tselios began his service in the Greek military at age 18. Though originally assigned as a driver, a reassignment to the kitchen sparked an unexpected passion for cooking. After completing his service, he refined his skills working in hotels across Rhodes before traveling to the United States for additional study and experience. In the early 1980s, he settled permanently in America with his wife, Haralambia, beginning a new chapter defined by hard work and dedication to family.
For more than 30 years, Tselios was a co-owner of Ferdinand’s Restaurant in Wheaton, where he became known affectionately as “Jerry.” The obituary notes that he was often the first to arrive and the last to leave, pouring himself into the kitchen and the customers he served. On Thanksgiving, he routinely began roasting turkeys before dawn, a reflection of his commitment to both the restaurant and the community that gathered there. Former employees and patrons often recalled his steady presence and kindness. Ferdinand’s closed in 2009, but Tselios continued working as a chef in the years that followed.
In 2011, after his mother became ill, Tselios dedicated himself to her care, ensuring comfort and companionship during her final months. In his later years, he embraced a quieter rhythm, enjoying household projects, helping others, keeping up with Greek news over morning coffee, and cheering for his favorite soccer team, Olympiakos, despite the friendly rivalry in his home with his wife’s support of Panathinaikos.
The obituary notes that Tselios endured several significant losses throughout his life, including the passing of close relatives and, most profoundly, the loss of his son, Savvas, whose memory he carried with him daily. Despite these hardships, he remained known for his faith, strength, and compassion.
Tselios is survived by his wife, Haralambia; his children, Tsambika, Anastasia, and Stavros; his sister, Athina Papasavvas, and brother-in-law in Greece; his uncles, aunts, and extended family across the United States and Rhodes. Loved ones remember him as a man of humility, warmth, and unwavering dedication to family.
Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, located at 721 Norwood Road in Silver Spring. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, also in Silver Spring.
