Dean Peter Camenares

In the late afternoon on May 17th, 2023, Dean Peter Camenares passed away peacefully in Bluffton, SC. His dearest wife Marie Camenares, and two cherished sons Devin and Christopher were by his side.

Dean was born October 15th 1951 in a Greek household, to Peter Camenares and Stella Alicakos in Brooklyn, NY. After his graduation from Brooklyn high school in 1969, he was accepted to Brooklyn college, and studied psychology. He graduated in 1972.

After college, Dean's passions blossomed. He was a regular at the Polar Bear Club; a group dedicated to the health benefits gained from submerging themselves in the winter-frosted waters in Brooklyn. This began his mix-in with physical culture. Here, Dean wrote pioneering articles on bodybuilding and feats of strength, and talked with Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno about their budding careers.

A culmination of this passion is the health food store Dean managed, and his personal business Rainbow Snacks company; both dedicated to the genuine pursuit of improving one's health. The best success of the endeavor was due to the day Marie Sottile came into the store. Dean immediately initiated a courtship, which began with a first date on Marie's birthday. Their dating spanned over all of NYC's most iconic features and nearby camping grounds.

On September 19th 1980 Dean and Marie wed; and on April 23rd 1985 had their first son, Devin. A year later, they moved to Holbrook, Long Island. On November 15th 1992, they welcomed their second son, Christopher. On September 27th 2015, Dean welcomed his granddaughter, Kassia. To support his family, Dean owned and operated a wood refinishing business, and restored architectural woodwork in the NY tri-state area. Dean was recognized as a premier artisan in his craft, and was featured in the New York Times for his work.

Dean retired to Bluffton, SC, where he lived out the remainder of his life, showing off superb scrabble and dominoes prowess. Dean eventually succumbed to his brain cancer, 6 months after its diagnosis.

Dean is survived by his father Peter Camenares, wife Marie Camenares, sister Diane Vourederis, two children Devin and Christopher, daughter-in-law Vicki, and granddaughter Kassia.

Dean was given a gift to make incredible sacrifices, and did so for the sake of his family. He will be forever remembered in our hearts, and dearly missed. A memorial service for Dean’s life, and a belated name-day celebration, will take place at Sauls Funeral Home on May 22nd starting at 12:00pm noon.

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