Michael Constantine Geokas

Dr. Michael C Geokas, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D, 92, of Alamo, California, passed away on June 8, 2017 at his home. Michael will always be remembered as a successful Medical Executive, Educator, and Researcher who was an expert in the field of gastroenterology and a thought leader in the area of Philhellenism in America and the causes of Hellenism in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dr. Geokas obtained his M.D. degree from the National University in Athens in 1951 and was an Intern, Resident and Chief Resident at Evangelismos Medical Center (1951-1957). He received further Clinical training in Canada and United States (1958-1963) and attended Graduate School at McGill University in Canada, for his M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees. He then served as Assistant and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles (1966-1970). He met and married his wife, the late Dr. Barbara Branson Geokas, in 1968, and they moved to their home in Alamo, California in 1973. She was a graduate of Harvard College and Hahneman Medical College, a Board Certified Rheumatologist, and Director of a Hospitalist Group at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek CA. Michael served as Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Medicine at U.C.L.A School of Medicine (1970-1974), and as Professor of Medicine (1974-1990) and Biological Chemistry (1981-1990) at UC, Davis School of Medicine, at Davis, California. For twenty years (1970-1990) he served concomitantly as Director of Medical Services, as Program Director in Internal Medicine and Subspecialties and as Director of an Enzymology Research Laboratory, at two Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, Affiliated with U.C.L.A. and UC, Davis Schools of Medicine, respectively. An American citizen of Greek origin, Dr. Geokas was the Founder and President of DEMOKRITOS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (DSA), a think tank of University Professors and Students, Professionals, Executives and Researchers. Dr. Geokas published extensively, and served as reviewer for many American and British Scientific Journals. He was a a member of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the Population Association of America and many other scientific organizations. His most well-known research contribution was the development of Radioimmunoassays for the determination of Human Pancreatic Enzymes in Blood. Dr. Geokas was also internationally known for his pioneering work concerning the Biochemistry of the frequently lethal, Acute Hemmorhagic Pancreatitis in man. He is survived by his sister Maika Otto, his brother Stavros Geokas, and his nieces Katherine Varker Crimmins, Dina Bostsis-Tzavara, Michaela Sakellari, Katerina Kourkouli, and his nephew Demosthenos Botsis. The Greek Orthodox funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 16, 2017 at St. Demitrios Greek Orthodox Church, 1955 Kirker Pass Road, Concord, CA. Special thanks to the staff of the Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging, who truly were "professional relatives" of Dr. Geokas in his final year, and to Kosta Demiris, whose zealous advocacy for Dr. Geokas made the impossible possible.