On July 13th, 2021 we lost our beloved Athanasios (Tom) Karvounis, a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and a successful businessman. Tom Karvounis was born October 24th, 1924 in Lafka Korinthia, Greece to Dimitrios and Vasiliki Karvounis, and was the 6th of 7 siblings. In his early 20's he left his village to work in the police academy that was located just beneath the Acropolis in the center of Athens. Six years later, in 1956 he left his position for an opportunity to travel to America to follow the American dream. Tom's first stop was Springfield Ohio and later traveled to Toledo Ohio, holding various job positions. In 1965, he took his first trip back to Greece where he met his beautiful wife Helen, of which he has shared 56 wonderful years of marriage. A few months later, the newlywed couple came back to America and went to Carbondale, Illinois, where they trained and learned the restaurant business. Tom and Helen settled in their final destination in Murray, Kentucky in 1966. A hard worker and determined to succeed, Tom and his partner started Tom's Pizza Palace. Famous for tossing Pizza in the air, Tom's was the first pizza restaurant in Murray, Kentucky. Over the course of the next few years Tom brought family from Greece and opened Tom's Pizza and Steakhouse in Draffenville, Kentucky, Grecian Steakhouse in Owensboro, Kentucky, and Tom's Pizza and Steakhouse in Paris, Tennessee. Within a few years, Tom's hard work had paid off and together with his partner acquired and developed the property today known as Olympic Plaza. After a several decade pause, Tom decided to open together with his son Jim, Tom's Grille in Murray, Kentucky which is still operated by Jim Karvounis and his family. After much demand from the community in 2006, Tom ventured to reopen Tom's Pizza, bringing back the original pizza the community had longed for. This would turn out to be his last venture into the restaurant business. Tom truly was blessed and always made it known that his luck and life turned around when he met his wife Helen. Although he was a foreigner in this country he always felt Murray, Kentucky his home. Murray and its community embraced him and his family and had given him everything he ever dreamed of, (for which he was always grateful for). Tom always prided himself for providing his family the ability to never forget their roots, by traveling to Greece every year. He left behind a legacy of honor and pride of who he was and of his family. He will be greatly missed. Those left to cherish many wonderful memories include his wife Helen of Murray; his daughter, Kiki Mazas and her husband Bill of Clearwater, FL; his son Jim Karvounis and his wife Eleni of Murray and four grandchildren, Thano, Alexandro, Natalia, and Elina, as well as, his sister Eleni Georgiou who lives in Greece. The funeral service for Mr. Tom Karvounis is set for 12 PM on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at Saint Leo Catholic Church, 401 North 12th Street, Murray, KY 42071. Burial will follow at Murray City Cemetery. His family welcomes visitors from 5 PM - 9 PM on Monday, July 19, 2021 and also on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 from 11 AM - 12 PM, both at Saint Leo Catholic Church. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Saint Leo Catholic Church, 401 North 12th Street, Murray, KY 42071, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 4905 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 409 S Old Coachman Rd, Clearwater, FL 33765 or Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House, 803 Poplar Street, Murray, KY 42071. Please join family and friends in honoring the life of Mr. Tom Karvounis by visisting www.imesfh.com and posting your tributes and memories.