Emanuel "Mike" Poulos

Emanuel “Mike” Poulos, 91, of Fayetteville, NC and formerly of Wilmington, was taken by the Lord on Saturday, March 22, 2025, surrounded by his family.

Mike was born July 4, 1933, in Icaria, Greece to Zanis and Koula Poulos. His family struggled to survive under the Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II. When the war ended, his family immigrated to the US and Mike was extremely proud to be an American. He often told people he was born at James Walker Hospital in Wilmington. Mike graduated from New Hanover High School in Wilmington NC and enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean conflict. Mike was a proud member of the St. Nicholas (Wilmington) and Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (Fayetteville), the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood and a 50-year member of St. John’s Masonic Lodge Number One. Mike always had the door to his home open to friends and family and made sure no one ever left hungry or unhappy. Mike received National prominence after the loss of his grocery store during the Wilmington 10 incident in 1972.

Mike loved his family, his faith, fishing, Greece, and ECU, where both of his sons graduated.

He is preceded in death by his father Zanis Poulos, mother Koula, brother Pantelis Poulos and granddaughter, Caroline Cole.

He is survived by the love of his life Patricia Poulos; his children, Dr. John and Anna Poulos, Ms. Koula Poulos, Mr. Jack and Danielle Poulos; as well as grandchildren, Dr. Emanuel Poulos, Zach Poulos, Micah Poulos, Dean Poulos, Mackenzie Cole and Jay Cole.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, March 29, 2025, for visitation/Trisagion from 10 am to 11 am followed by a funeral service at 11 am at the St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Fayetteville. A graveside service with burial will be held at Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington, NC at noon on Monday, March 31, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.

Online condolences may be left at http://www.jerniganwarren.com

Services provided by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Emanuel "Mike" Poulos, please visit our floral store.