Yiannis Paraskevas died peacefully, early in the morning on 14 January 2011, aged 87. He had spent the last year just pottering round the house and garden, finding it too much of a struggle to get up and down the steps outside. 
He was born in 1923 in the town of Tyros, in the prefecture of Arcadia. He was brought to Spetses as an orphan, at the age of 13. He started work in the Clock Tower Square in a general store, importing and selling fruit and olive oil and later making his own wine. In 1968 the 'general store' was re-opened as a traditional Greek taverna, and when the owner, Kyrios (Mr) Fritzalas died, Yiannis inherited the business. It became a very popular and busy taverna and changed its name to MATROZOS restaurant in the early 1980's. It became fondly known as 'The Lamb in the Bag' restaurant in the square and was packed from that day onwards, until its closure in 1991.Yiannis Paraskevas and Boubi the cat.

Remembering Yiannis are his wife, Katerina, two sons - Michalis and Nikos and his daughter, Anna Maria. Also his granchildren - Yiannis, Antonis, Katherine, Dimitris, Philipos, Amalia and Stefania.