Antonios Nicolaidis graduate student dies at 29

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March 9, 2010

Antonios Nicolaidis, a doctoral student at the University of Athens who was active in Baltimore's Greek community, died of complications from surgery Feb. 23 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The East Baltimore resident was 29.

Born in Baltimore, he attended Sacred Heart of Mary School and graduated from the American Community School in Athens, Greece.

Mr. Nicolaidis earned bachelor's and master's degrees in international relations at American University. At his death, he was a doctoral candidate at the University of Athens.

He studied the cultural heritage of the village of Olympos Karpathos, Greece, where his family had lived.

"He was a talented musician and played violin, lyre, bagpipe and lute," said his mother, Maria Nicolaidis of Baltimore. "He loved music so much that he himself got involved in teaching himself how to build the folk music instruments. He used his musical, singing and dancing talents to communicate with people."

Every summer he visited Greece and participated in local festivals and other social celebrations. He also performed in Baltimore, reciting Greek poetry, singing and dancing.

"He was a kind, good-hearted individual with a great sense of humor and very serious when it came to his academic work and music," said his mother.

Services were held March 1 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

Besides his mother, survivors include his father, Vasilios Nicolaidis of Baltimore; a sister, Archontoula Nicolaidis-Anastopoulos of Athens; and a grandmother, Archontoula Karanikolas of Baltimore.

Jacques Kelly - Baltimore Sun