Last week, I came across a Facebook post by a family friend, Ross Savvas, announcing the passing of his father, Con Savvas (Konstantinos Topalsavvas).
Con Savvas, b. 1934 – d. 2024, arrived in Australia in 1946 with his family. In Adelaide and co-founded Con’s Fine Food in 1959, now a beloved institution at the Adelaide Central Market.
Like many of my generation, the sad post reminded of the dwindling number of our elders—immigrants who embarked on the journey to start anew in Australia. These pioneers faced immense challenges, leaving behind a war-ravaged and impoverished Greece to build fresh beginnings.
Con Savvas and his family were part of my extended social family in Adelaide, where I was born and raised. Earlier this year, in a feature on the Savvas family and Con’s Fine Food, I wrote: “Our families melded as part of Adelaide’s Greek community in the 1970s. We were intertwined in family celebrations and became like one family.”
We cling to these fragments of memories, navigating our past every time I visit Adelaide and stop by Con’s Fine Food, chatting with Ross, Anthony, and Alex—the three Savvas brothers and Con and Eleni Savvas’s “boys” as we all called them.
Con Savvas, along with his brothers Savas, Peter, and Petro, started with a warehouse before opening Con’s Fine Food in the Adelaide Central Market. The Savvas family were also prominent members of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA).
GOCSA shared a warm message on Facebook, expressing their “deepest condolences to the Savvas family” on Con’s passing:
“A beloved icon of the Adelaide Central Market, founder of Con’s Fine Food, and a member of GOCSA for nearly seven decades.
His contribution to GOCSA will be remembered and treasured. Vale Mr. Con Savvas.”
Con Savvas was a proud Castellorizian, and the Castellorizian Association of South Australia paid tribute on social media, stating:
“The Castellorizian Association of South Australia expresses its deepest condolences to the Savvas family on the passing of Con, a very proud and respected Castellorizian.”
Above all, Con Savvas was a devoted father and grandfather who outlived the love of his life, Eleni. One of his grandchildren, Anastasia, shared moving words on social media:
“He emitted pure love and joy throughout his life. He taught generations the values of hard work and patience, and it was rare to see him without a smile on his face.”
She describes her grandfather as the embodiment of generosity—a sentiment echoed by my own family and much of the community. His generosity of spirit lives on in his sons – Ross, Anthony, and Alex – my peers.
On behalf of the family, Anastasia added: “Dad was fuelled by determination to help others, even if it was as simple as offering a helping hand.”
Con Savvas an icon, a leader, and above all a kind and gentle man has left us all. Vale.
