Elias "Louis" Papadopoulos Elias "Louis" Papadopoulos came to this country with a dream: to be able to live freely, to marry, to earn a good living, and to educate his three children. He realized that dream in Brockton, where he lived and worked for more than five decades, earning a reputation as the best tailor and men's clothing specialist in the region. In 1956, he moved to Brockton to be with his fiance, Penny, whom he married in July of that year. He began working in city factories, learning the clothing business, before starting his own men's clothing business in 1969, in a small shop on Belmont Street in Brockton. Mr. Papadopoulos, owner of the venerable Louis Custom Tailors Inc., died on Wednesday after waging a valiant battle with leukemia. He was 80. Born in Axiokastro, Kozani, a village in the mountains of northern Greece, the son of farmers, Mr. Papadopoulos saw World War II and the Greek Civil War through the eyes of a child. His education ended in grade school when the wars there forced school closures. He served in the Greek military before going to school in Thessaloniki to learn the tailoring trade. His path to Brockton began with a promise to marry his Greek sweetheart. Decades before texts and e-mails, Mr. Papadopoulos sent several letters across the Atlantic Ocean to win her hand. In one letter, he sent his future wife a thin gold band as an engagement ring, inscribed with both of their names. The two later married at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, at its former location on Warren Avenue. When he came to Brockton, people likened Mr. Papadopoulos, a tall young man in his mid-20s, to the Hollywood actor Errol Flynn. The handsome Greek man had a spring in his step, and a zest for life that came through in his Greek dancing, his family said. He was ecstatic to live in America with his beautiful young bride. It did not take a college text or lecture to teach Mr. Papadopoulos what he would later use as a successful businessman: always please the customer. His ability to provide impeccable service and his memory for details made him a renowned tailor across the area. He fitted suits for thousands of customers, who proudly wore the Louis label inside their suit jacket, his family said. "My father loved his family, his friends, and his customers, and they loved him back," said his daughter, Brockton businesswoman Andrea Papadopoulos. "He made every person feel special." Mr. Papadopoulos had a passion for politics and world news. When his youngest daughter, Maria, was named Journalist of the Year by the New England Newspaper and Press Association in 2009, he was so proud, his family said. "When it came to my reporting career, my father was my earliest supporter," said his daughter Maria Papadopoulos, reporter for The Enterprise. "He would talk about every story with me. As a child, I watched 'World News Tonight with Peter Jennings' with my Dad every evening after dinner." Mr. Papadopoulos was a regular at political fundraisers in Brockton and he supported several city candidates. He donated to causes across the city, including to police, fire, athletic and school fundraisers over the years. His wooden desk at his store is filled with photographs - of his family and friends, and of Mr. Papadopoulos with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and Brockton native Kenneth Feinberg, whose late father was a customer for years at Mr. Papadopoulos' business. He was a proud member of the Rotary Club of Brockton, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, the Pan-Macedonian Association, and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, where he served as a board member. He traveled across the country, and back to his native Greece several times. In 2007, his son, Steven, a corporate pilot, drove him across his native homeland with a GPS that gave them turn-by-turn directions in Greek. He always told his children how proud he was of their successes, his son said. "Our father was a very giving man, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for his children," Steven Papadopoulos said. Mr. Papadopoulos had a deep love for cats, including his beloved Spicy, who was born in the store underneath his work station. In 2006, he rescued two calicos, Lucky and Joombie, from a local shelter and built them a kennel in his store. In return for his hospitality, the cats greeted every customer that came in his store. He also loved gardening, and growing lemon trees inside his business. Tomato plants were always nearby - at work and at home. He would make authentic Greek salads: ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced onions, all drizzled with olive oil and vinegar, and a pinch of salt. When it came to his home or business, Mr. Papadopoulos loved handyman work. He'd fix doors or install faucets, or build a cabinet with a friend, his family said. Neighbors would often spot Mr. Papadopoulos mowing the lawn on a Sunday, after church, still wearing his suit in 85-degree weather. In addition to his loving wife of 54 years, Penny, Mr. Papadopoulos leaves his daughters, Andrea Papadopoulos and Maria Papadopoulos, both of Brockton; his son, Steven Papadopoulos and his wife, Kathy, of Southlake, Texas; his brothers, John Papadopoulos of Brockton and Stergios Papadopoulos of Australia, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Information Funeral from the Russell Pica Funeral Home, 165 Belmont St ., (RT123), Brockton on Monday, May 2nd at 10:00AM followed by a funeral service in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 457 Oak St., Brockton at 11:00AM Interment will follow in Melrose Cemetery, Brockton. Calling hours in the Russell Pica Funeral Home Sunday 4:00-8:00PM.