In Loving Memory of Basil Thomas Doumas, PhD “Akis” “Pappou”
July 16, 1930 – May 12, 2025
Basil Thomas Doumas, affectionately known as Akis to friends and Pappou to his family, passed away peacefully on May 12, 2025, in Mequon, Wisconsin, at the age of 94. He is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Maria Doumas (née Kosma); his children Thomas (Jacy nee’ DiFoggio) Doumas and Genie (Tom) Smith; his son-in-law, Ioannis Alafouzos; his grandchildren Aristidis (Maria) Alafouzos, Maria (Dimitri) Petridis, Eleni Alafouzos, Phillip Doumas, Alexandra Doumas (Traesti Gudmundson), Maggie Smith (Ryan Thaner) and Henry Smith (Claire Haws); his great-grandchildren Nefeli, Yiannis, and Louisa Alafouzos, George, Vickie, and Daphne Petridis, and Raven Gudmundson. Basil was preceded in death by his cherished daughter Vickie Doumas Alafouzos (April 3, 2025) and his brother Damianos.
Born on July 16, 1930, in Argos Orestikon, a village in the historic region of ancient Macedonia in northwestern Greece, Basil spent his childhood studying and helping his father with the family store. In 1947, his family relocated to Thessaloniki, where Basil completed high school and went on to study chemistry at Aristotelian University. It was there he developed his academic foundations and began the path toward a career that would have international impact. In 1957 and newly married, Basil and Maria emigrated to the United States. The couple settled in Memphis, Tennessee, where he earned his PhD in biochemistry and physiology.
In 1964, he accepted a faculty position in the pathology and biochemistry department at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and in 1970, the family moved to Brookfield, Wisconsin, where Basil began a decades-long tenure at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Basil’s professional contributions were vast and enduring. He was a recognized leader in the field of clinical chemistry, serving as president of both the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) and the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). His passion for chemistry and his home country led to the creation of the Athena Society—an international gathering of colleagues united in their mission to advance the field of clinical chemistry and its future role in health care. Held every three years on various Greek islands, these meetings combined intellectual discourse, good food, great friends and idyllic Greek beaches.
The family would like to thank all the staff and caregivers at Lumia Memory Care, Cornerstone Caregiving, and Horizon Hospice Care, for providing such wonderful and affectionate care of Pappou over the last year. In addition we’d like to thank Beverly Nelson, whom Pappou adored, for her dedication, generosity of spirit and kindness with Pappou for the last 3 years of his life.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to make donations in his memory to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa, WI, or Doctor’s Without Borders.
Visitation and memorial services to celebrate Basil’s remarkable life will be held on Thursday, May 22, at 10:30 AM at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Interment at Wisconsin Memorial Park.
Visitation:
10:30am – 11:00am
Thursday May 22, 2025
Funeral Service:
11:00am – 12:00pm
Thursday May 22, 2025
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
9400 West Congress Street
Wauwatosa, WI 53225