Theodore Michael Soulakis

Born January 19,1938, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Mike lived a full and accomplished life defined by family, hard work, service, and a deep pride in his Greek heritage. He was very proud of being from Pittsburgh. He loved the character and beauty of the city and carried that Pittsburgh pride with him throughout his life. An Army veteran, Mike went on to earn his undergraduate degree from California State University and his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He built a successful career that included positions with U.S. Steel, Mellon Bank and Rockwell International.

During his time at Mellon Bank and Rockwell, Mike became one of the pioneers of what would later become the modern data center. Working with some of the earliest IBM mainframe systems, he was responsible for managing massive datasets, including critical engineering specifications for the Space Shuttle program. Reliability and disaster recovery became Mike's specialty. He developed innovative procedures that could fully replicate an entire data center in the event of a disaster, ensuring business continuity when it mattered most. His methods and principles continue to influence the industry today. Even with modern servers, cloud computing, and advanced backup technologies, few have been able to match the speed, efficiency, and ingenuity of the solutions that Mike developed. But of all the chapters of Mike’s life, none was more important to him than his family.

In 1960, he married the love of his life, Donna Jean Cartwright, after meeting at the famous Linden Grove dance hall in Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania where Mike literally swept Donna off her feet. This started a remarkable 66-year marriage and true partnership. Mike was happiest when he and Donna were surrounded by their family. Sunday dinners, holidays, and vacations were joyfully packed with their children and grandchildren - the kind of gatherings that became treasured family traditions and memories.

Mike was deeply connected to his Greek roots. He and Donna made annual trips to his family village on the island of Rhodes, Greece, and for four decades they trekked the island together, enjoying its beauty, history, food, and his Greek heritage. He fought for years to reclaim his family’s land there, preserving an important connection to his ancestry and ensuring that part of his family’s history would continue for generations. In 1985 Mike moved his family to Texas while working for Rockwell International. Settling in Plano, Texas and creating a home that was cherished by the family and good friends. While Texas was good to Mike and family, Pittsburgh, PA was always home.

Mike and Donna raised four children: Michele Powell, Marci Soulakis Orr, Diane Soulakis and Michael Soulakis. His family grew to include beloved sons- (Shawn Lee Orr and Michael Andrew Powell) and daughter-in-law (Jana Soulakis), and nine amazing grandchildren, each of whom brought him tremendous pride and happiness. His grandchildren include Sierra, Megan, Brynn, Jackson, Nickolas, Anna, Zachary, Theodore (Teddy) and Emma.

Mike is survived by his beloved wife, Donna; their four children and spouses; and his brothers Manuel Soulakis and Alex Soulakis and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, Antigone and Michael Soulakis, and younger sister Rita Soulakis. He leaves behind a large and loving family of cousins, nieces and nephews who will carry his stories, traditions, humor, strength, and heritage forward.

Mike accomplished much during his 88 years, but his greatest legacy cannot be measured by degrees, career achievements, or titles. It can be found around the family table, in the traditions he created, in the Greek heritage he worked so hard to preserve, and in the generations of family who knew they belonged to something larger because of him.

He was a husband, father, grandfather, veteran, provider, and proud Greek—and he was deeply loved and cherished. His family will miss him beyond words, but the life he built and the love he gave will remain with them always.

Our Dad taught us many, many things but we will carry his Greek words of “SIGA,SIGA” to heart. It does not simply mean to relax, it means do not miss the life that is happening while you rush past it.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mike’s name to the VNA-Visiting Nurses Association of Texas http://www.vnatexas.org/give The family is eternally grateful for the skilled and compassionate care they showed Mike and Donna.