BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The former mayor of Williamson passed away Feb. 23 at his home in Williamson. He was 90 years old.
Sam Kapourales, a longtime businessman, pharmacist and mayor, was born April 19, 1935.
A lifelong resident of Williamson, he graduated from Williamson High School in 1953. He then attended the University of Richmond in Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1957. Following graduation, he was accepted into the pharmacy school at the Medical College of Virginia.
After graduating from pharmacy school, he returned to Williamson to be closer to his family. He purchased Hurley Drug Company where he practiced for 40 years.
Kapourales, along with his partners Nick Maroudas and Sam Olive, expanded their business to include nine pharmacies and realty holdings throughout the area. In 1978, following the devastating 1977 flood in the Tug Valley, Kapourales was elected mayor of Williamson and served until 1999.
During his administration, he was awarded Mayor of the Year, assisted in securing funding for the Williamson floodwall and helped recruit much-needed medical services and physicians to the Tug Valley area.
Kapourales was a longtime director of the First National Bank of Williamson, First Bank of Charleston, the Summit State Bank and the Energy Services of America Corporation. He also chaired the advisory board of Southern West Virginia Community College of Nursing.
Kapourales was a past member of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, Williamson Kiwanis Club and Mountain Club. He, along with his wife Dee, established a scholarship at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College for Williamson area students.
He was a devout Mason and a member of the Scottish Rite. As a proud Shriner and member of the Beni Kedem Temple in Charleston, he served as Potentate and helped raise funds to transport children to and from the Shriners Hospital.
The former mayor served on multiple West Virginia regulatory boards including the Health Care Authority, the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy and the West Virginia Housing Development Authority Board. He was given the Distinguished West Virginian Award in 2016 by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.
Kapourales was a huge sports fan as well. He and his friends annually attended Super Bowl games, the Indianapolis 500 and multiple other sporting events.
Above all was the love he had for his wife Dee and their two daughters and grandchildren.
He was a member of the St. George Orthodox Church in Huntington and the St. John Greek Orthodox Church in Charleston.
He is survived by his wife, Despina (Dee) Bolaris Kapourales; daughters, Stephie-Anna (Sean) Ramaley and Susanna “SuSu” (Rogert Lambert) Kapourales, M.D.; and five grandchildren who were the loves of his life: Christopher and Michael Ramaley, Samuel, Anna and Anastasia Lambert. He is also survived by many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, godchildren and, of course, the many people he considered friends.