Dino Christy

Dino Christy passed away peacefully on May 25, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was 86 years old. Dino leaves behind his wife Helen and children Jennifer and Billy, along with his wife Heidi and their daughters, Chloe and Lila. He is additionally survived by his remaining siblings Demetra and Matthew.

Dino was born on December 27, 1938, in Skoura, Greece to the late Vasilios and Christina Christopoulos. He was the third eldest of five siblings. In Skoura, a farming village located just outside of Sparta, Dino spent his adolescence working hard to support his family. At age 15, he independently immigrated to the United States, where he lived with extended family members in Burlington, Vermont and Schenectady, New York. Though only a teenager, Dino's determination and charisma helped him quickly acclimate to a new life in the US. He spent his latter teenage years learning English, attending local high schools, and getting into a healthy share of mischief while living under the watchful eyes of his aunts.

After graduating high school, Dino enlisted in the US Navy at age 19 a decision he often recalled as "the best thing he ever did." Dino never ran out of naval adventures to regale his family with, even in his final months of life. During his four years of service, he traveled the world by sea and made an array of life-long friends. The most important connection the navy brought him, however, was his wife Helen. The two met at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in 1960, while Dino was first stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. The pair wedded on May 20, 1962, with a reception at Cliff Walk Manor. Just before his passing, the two celebrated 63 years of marriage. Within a few years, Dino and Helen welcomed two children, Jennifer and Billy.

Dino and Helen built a life for themselves in Middletown, Rhode Island on Ward Avenue. Dino planted apple trees that sprouted in the springtime, strung warm Christmas lights in the winter, and awaited a garden of tomato and eggplant every summer. Over the years, their home became a hub for lively holiday parties, backyard barbecues, and the antics of neighborhood children.

Dino began working for in-laws at their restaurant, The Lighthouse, in 1963. Dino and Helen then purchased it in 1975. With the help of his wife and brother, Matthew, Dino worked hard every day to serve a rotating cast of neighbors, sailors, and tourists alike. He was a staple behind the bar known for his rousing jokes, champion cribbage skills, and the genuine friendships he fostered with customers. Dino owned and operated The Lighthouse for twenty years, until Billy and his wife, Heidi, took over the property to open Coddington Brewing Company in 1995. Dino continued to work alongside his family at Coddington, seven days a week for 25 years.

In Dino's 86 years of life, he achieved and enjoyed so much. In his younger days, he loved boating and taking trips to Maine. He played many roles in his lifetime brother, sailor, husband, father, bartender, cook, friend but his favorite was that of grandfather, or "papou." To his granddaughters, he was a cherished co-conspirator, lively storyteller, and thoughtful gift giver. He will be fondly remembered for his spontaneity, generosity, and strong-will. Dino would do anything for the people he loved. We will miss hearing him laugh, argue, and whistle along to Greek folk tunes. He was an incredibly special, endlessly interesting man who will be sincerely missed every day.

A visitation will be offered on Monday, June 2, 2025, from 10:00am to 11:30am in St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 390 Thames St, Newport, RI, funeral services will immediately follow at 11:30am in St. Spyridon Church. Burial will continue in Middletown Four Corners Cemetery, Turner and Wyatt Road, Middletown, RI.