George Kostinden

George Kostinden, 86, of Stoneham, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2019 at the Courtyard Nursing Care Center in Medford, Massachusetts.

George was born in Somerville, Massachusetts on February 23, 1933, to the parents of Sotir and Anna Kostinden. George grew up in Somerville with his sister and 3 brothers: Angelina, Chris, Thomas, and William. George attended Somerville High School, and upon graduation, enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. George was stationed at numerous Coast Guard stations along the Maine coast, notably Rockland, Maine and Quaddy Head Light. It was this service that would kindle George's love for the ocean and the Maine coast, something he would share with his (future) family. During his service in the Coast Guard, George's roles spanned from buoy tender/repairs, a cook, and of course rescue services. Upon completing his service in the Coast Guard, George held several jobs as a cook, for a short time at a restaurant in Florida, and a steamfitter. Still living in Somerville, George and his friends would frequent the Memory Lane Restaurant in Somerville. It was here in 1955, that George would meet his wife, Madeline Gregory of East Boston, Massachusetts, who was working as a waitress at the restaurant. After dating for a couple of years, Madeline and George ran off to the Poconos to get married on September 2, 1957. It was during this time that George went to work for his 2 brothers, Chris and William, in the wholesale produce business, selling produce to restaurants and institutions. This business which was started by their father Sotir, selling fruits and vegetables from a push cart in Haymarket Square in Boston, would grow to the largest wholesale produce sales company in New England, for the next 2 decades, serving customers from as far north as Augusta, Maine, to the west in Albany, NY, and as far south as Philadelphia, PA. Besides, driving a truck making deliveries and warehouse foreman, George's key role in the success of this company was his ability to map out delivery routes for the truck drivers. Today's companies, such as Amazon and UPS, use technologies like GPS and sophisticated computer algorithms to calculate delivery routes. Back in the day, George performed this same function using his knowledge of the areas of their customers. George would gather the list of customer delivery invoices, and then lay them out in the geographical order the driver would make his deliveries.
It was also during this time that George and Madeline were building their family. Raising their son and 2 daughters: James, Carol, and Diane, in a small 2 bedroom apartment in Somerville. In 1970, George and Madeline, purchased a lovely home in Stoneham, Massachusetts, where they would continue to raise their children and live there for the rest of their lives.

George's work in the produce industry was demanding, requiring long hours and limiting the time he could share with his family. However, when that time became available, especially on Sundays, George would love to take family drives up along the southern Maine coast, especially in the summer time when the family would often visit Ogunquit beach. For summer vacation, George would enjoy taking his family along the Maine coast, specifically staying in the Rockland and Camden area and then further north to Mount Dessert Island and Acadia National Park. George truly loved this time with his family. When the family wasn't taking Sunday drives, Dad loved to cook Sunday dinners, utilizing his Coast Guard cooking skills.
During George's latter working years, George and his brother Chris started a smaller produce business located in Haverhill, Massachusetts. They ran this business for a number of years, before closing the business as the brothers prepared for retirement.
George worked hard to provide for his family, and while his work limited the time he could spend with his family, those times he spent with his family, the Sunday drives and summer vacations in Maine, will forever be cherished.

George's passing, comes almost 4 months after his wife Madeline passed away on March 4, 2019. While the passing of a loved one is always difficult, the family is comforted knowing that George and Madeline are once again together.

George is survived by his son James Kostinden and wife Debra of Holliston, Massachusetts; his daughter Carol Finnegan and her husband Thomas of Plymouth, Massachusetts; and his daughter Diane Kostinden of Stoneham, Massachusetts. He also leaves two grandchildren, Colleen Mathews and her husband Richard of Georgetown, Massachusetts; and Sean Finnegan of Cumberland, Rhode Island; and two great-grandchildren, Richard and Emma Mathews. George was predeceased by one of his grandchildren, Cara Finnegan (1989-1991).
George is also survived by one of his four siblings: William Kostinden and his wife Margaret (predeceased), Chris Kostinden (predeceased) and his wife Eleanor, Thomas Kostinden (predeceased) and his wife Rita (predeceased), and Angelina Yanakopulos (predeceased) and her husband Peter (predeceased). He is also survived by his many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Visitation and funeral service will be at the McDonald-Finnegan Funeral Home, 322 Main Street, Stoneham, Massachusetts on Wednesday, July 3rd with visitation starting at 10am and a brief funeral service at 11am. Interment will take place immediately following the funeral service at the Woodlawn Cemetery, 302 Elm Street, Everett, Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior fund, support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

July 03, 2019
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

McDonald - Finnegan Funeral Home
322 Main St.
Stoneham , MA 02180
(781) 438-0405

July 03, 2019
11:00 AM

McDonald - Finnegan Funeral Home
322 Main St.
Stoneham, MA 02180
781438-0405