U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Bess McCarthy (nee Panos)
Just weeks after her family's restaurant and lounge closed its doors, Bess McCarthy, co-owner of the Panos Lounge in Evergreen Park, died.
McCarthy, nee Panos, died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007. Her family declined to give her age. [Age 82, per SSDI]
McCarthy and her sister Margaret Chakinis continued for years to serve drinks and meals at the lounge their parents, George and Christina Panos, opened in 1950 at the southeast corner of 95th Street and Kedzie Avenue. The building and neighboring businesses have been sold to a developer.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. with a trisagion service at 7 p.m. today at Kenny Brothers Funeral Home, 3600 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park. A funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 10301 S. Kolmar Ave., Oak Lawn. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery.
McCarthy was the oldest of the Panoses' three daughters. Her sister Fay Seavelis preceded her in death.
McCarthy, who graduated from Calumet High School, had worked in the kitchen and tended bar at the family's business for many years. She and her sister bought the business from their father's estate in the 1980s.
"She enjoyed meeting people. She had a lot of good friendships with our clientele. Being that we were there for so long, our customers became our extended family," said Cari Rigoni, one of McCarthy's nieces.
McCarthy was devoted to her family, especially her daughter, Lee Detlaff, and her parents. Her aunt, who lived above the lounge for many years, cared for her parents in their later years, Rigoni said.
McCarthy told the Daily Southtown in November that closing the business was a difficult decision.
"I held out for three or four years," she said. "I finally decided to sell. I decided it was time to retire."
McCarthy, who had said she would continue to travel in her retirement, already was planning her next trip, her niece said.
"She had an adventuresome spirit. She always liked to have a lot of fun," Rigoni said.
McCarthy had been to China, Thailand, all across Europe and down the Amazon River. She also had lived in Greece for a while, Rigoni said.
"She had been all over the world," Rigoni said. "She was planning to go to Mexico because she wanted to go someplace warm."
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