James Emanuel "Dimitri" Andrew, a retired restaurant owner, died of stroke complications Wednesday at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The Catonsville resident was 78.
Born in Weirton, W.Va., he moved to Baltimore in 1935, when his father opened the Coney Island Restaurant on Washington Boulevard.
Mr. Andrew was a 1947 City College graduate who studied bookkeeping at the old Baltimore Institute. He enlisted in the Marines and was a drill instructor at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He left the service as a staff sergeant.
He helped run Crystal Beach, a resort on the Magothy River. He later ran the Boom Town Restaurant, My Brother's Place, the Monte Carlo Play Center and the Light House, all near Fort Meade.
In 1965, Mr. Andrew and several partners opened Dimitri's Torch Club on U.S. 40 in Catonsville.
In the early 1970s, Mr. Andrew also managed The Barn and Lancer's Pub in Anne Arundel County.
He was a past president of AHEPA, a Greek philanthropic organization, and worked to establish senior citizen housing on Bank Street in Southeast Baltimore.
Services were held yesterday at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, where he was a member.
Survivors include his wife, the former Mary Minadakis; a daughter, Vasi Karas of Timonium; a sister, Angela Zades of Catonsville; and three grandsons.