William Gevas' Obituary
William “Bill” Gevas passed away peacefully May 23, 2025. He was born in New York City to Greek immigrants George and Hariclea Gevas Dec 28, 1932. Bill liked to tell the story of how his father arrived in NY at the age of 16, and on his first day he heard some people speaking Greek and approached them. That very same day, he was set up with a shoeshine box and he got to work. That was the same work ethic Bill had his entire life.
He grew up working in his father’s restaurant, idolizing his baseball and Swing Era jazz heroes, playing stickball in the streets of NY, and enjoying his position as the baby in the family. His older siblings, Zoe and Constantine, would send him in to ask their father for money to go to the movies, an activity the three of them enjoyed often.
He met his first wife, Helen, in New York and they had two sons, Michael and Ricardo, whom he loved dearly. In 1966 he met his second wife, Ann Gevas, when she came into his restaurant on Madison Ave, noticing a jazz magazine and asked, “Who reads Downbeat?” The rest, as they say, is history. They soon became sweethearts and shared a vibrant life filled with jazz societies, highlighted by the jazz club they established together. Yet, they equally cherished quiet moments in their cozy West 11th St. basement apartment in Greenwich Village, often tackling the New York Times crossword together.
They married in 1971 before moving to San Francisco so Bill could explore fresh opportunities in the restaurant industry. Living on Lombard Street above a linoleum store, they hosted their grandchildren Kim and Greg as often as they could and began to plant roots in California.
In 1983, the couple purchased the Main Street Grill in Half Moon Bay, CA, which they ran for over 40 years. It was in that restaurant where his personality shined brightest. Every patron, whether a local regular or fleeting guest, will undoubtedly remember him and his jukebox. His spirited vocals rang out over the sizzling grill and clanking of cookware. The Sunday breakfast rush would come to a complete standstill as he took control of the volume knob, demonstrating a complete surrender of heart and nervous system to virtuosic jazz performances by Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, Coleman Hawkins, or Billie Holiday. He meticulously curated the jukebox’s selection of 45s with jazz, pop, and novelty hits from the 1930s through the 1980s. As he whisked eggs and stirred hollandaise, he improvised vocals near-constantly, often substituting the names of patrons at the counter, or family members, for the actual lyrics. If you’ve ever sipped coffee at the Grill while the Royal Teens’ question played out, you know the answer: “Grandma wears short shorts!”
Over the decades of serving an entertaining breakfast and lunch menu on the Coastside, Bill received heartfelt messages and invitations from so many that were touched by his demeanor, knowledge, and warmth. He made friends with countless locals of all ages, often recognized by musicians as a treasure of jazz history. Framed album covers and concert posters from his favorite musicians lined the walls, further inspiring the mood. Besides being the most well-read historian on the Swing Era, he was also an encyclopedic student and authority on etymology, baseball, and world history. His fluid understanding of vast amounts of information would not typically be associated with a lifelong cook and restaurant owner.
He was truly one of a kind and fondly considered a “character” by many. He lived a long and fruitful life, enjoying his marriage to Ann, the life they built together, their grandchildren and the many beloved dogs and cats they had over the years. He was an extremely loving and supportive husband and worked hard to provide for his family. Their success with the restaurant created another opportunity to build on their legacy with the purchase of the local yarn shop with their granddaughter, Kim. Bill, being very proud of his Greek heritage, named the new yarn shop Fengari, Greek for “moon.”
After selling their restaurant in 2017, he enjoyed the slower pace at home in Moss Beach, cuddling with their cats, catching up on sports and watching old movies. His sweetheart Ann passed away in 2019, and he spent the rest of his days enjoying their home, listening to his playlist of 100s of his favorite songs, watching his favorite sports teams and tending to their kitties. Comforted by Ann’s memory and all they were able to accomplish together, he remained content, and grateful for visitors and trips out to local restaurants where he’d often bump into former customers, remembering them by name. His memory is a blessing to all who knew him, and his legacy will be lived out by those he touched, for generations to come.
He is survived by his sons Michael Gevas (Nadine) and Ricky Gevas, stepson Cliff McFall, granddaughter Kim McFall-Messina (Giovanni), grandsons Greg McFall (Jessie) and Derrick Gevas, great-granddaughters Isabella, Lola and Daphne, great-grandsons Julian, Aydan and Jalen, niece Carol Hoegemann and nephew Nick Loter.
A funeral service will be held at Skylawn Memorial on Sunday, June 15th, 2025 from 11:00-1:00. Anyone that would like to pay their final respects is welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in his honor to Companions in Waiting (https://www.companionsinwaiting.org/), Coastside Feral Care (https://www.coastsideferalcare.org/), or your favorite animal rescue organization, a cause near and dear to his heart.
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