Dimitri 'Taki' Andriadis

Dimitri H. “Taki” Andriadis, 93, the beloved husband of Louise Lancaster, left this world to continue his journey on June 13, 2015. After more than 40 years in Wilmington DE, Taki and Louise relocated to Kiawah Island and Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community in Charleston, SC. His life will be celebrated at a memorial service on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Bishop Gadsden, with a reception to follow. Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, of a Greek father and Italian mother, Taki began his life with a rich foundation in cultures and languages, including Greek, Italian, French and Turkish. He was an exceptional linguist – fluent in eight languages and conversant in several more. Taki traveled extensively throughout his life, for business and pleasure, and embraced all aspects of every culture he encountered, most especially food and music. Taki graduated from the American college in Istanbul, Robert College, in 1944 with a B.A. in English literature and economics and earned an M.A. in modern European diplomatic history from Yale University in 1948. Following service as executive director of Radio Free Europe in Istanbul, Taki returned to the U.S. as a broadcast journalist for the United Nations Radio Division in New York, where he worked for six years. He was radio news director, producer and editor and a war correspondent and press attaché during the Korean War and the Suez Canal crisis. His international news and feature programs were broadcast by U.N. Radio as well as Mutual, ABC, CBS, NBC and many international radio networks in Europe, Asia/Pacific and South America. In 1958, Taki joined DuPont at its headquarters in Wilmington, DE, before moving to DuPont’s European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to lead public affairs. Following his return to Wilmington in 1963, Taki assumed increasing responsibilities over the years to develop and expand the company’s global public affairs organization and competency in the Far East, Mexico and South America. In addition, he served as public affairs adviser to DuPont’s senior management. He retired from DuPont in 1989. Taki pioneered the discipline of international public affairs, building on his life-long interest in intercultural communications. He applied his knowledge and experience as a guest speaker at colleges and universities and other organizations. He was a member of many business organizations, including the World Press Institute, National Foreign Trade Council, Council on Foreign Relations, Council of the Americas and the Conference Board. After he retired, Taki joined the Delaware International Trade Council, where he chaired the Committee for International Academic Activities for more than four years, promoting the expansion of foreign languages in Delaware’s high schools and international trade for Delaware. During this time and for most of his next 10 years he was devoted to education as an instructor on cultures, languages, poetry and history at the Academy of Lifelong Learning, where he served on the governing board and subsequently as president. His presentations on intercultural communications continued to captivate audiences on Kiawah Island and at Bishop Gadsden. Taki was a teacher and a mentor to people of all ages and loved to share his experiences and stories. He felt deeply that people needed to better understand each other’s cultural perspectives to increase understanding and communicate effectively. Taki was a gifted storyteller with a legendary sense of humor, a hearty laugh and an electric smile. He was a devoted mentor throughout his life to young people from around the world who gave him energy and he, in turn, provided knowledge, insight and wisdom. Many of them stayed in touch with Taki throughout their lives. A lifelong lover of music, Taki was an aficionado of classical, big band, jazz and bossa nova. From childhood he played tennis and soccer and later in life became a golf enthusiast, first at the Wilmington Country Club and then as a “founding member” of the men’s 9-hole golf group at the Governor’s Club on Kiawah. He was also a member of the Kiawah Island Club. At Bishop Gadsden Taki focused intently on art, creating bold, colorful paintings and fanciful drawings. After a one-man show at Bishop Gadsden in 2014, in February 2015 his artwork was on display at the Charleston Public Library, along with his haiku. The family wishes to extend its deepest appreciation for the loving care and compassionate attention given by dedicated caregivers and staff at Bishop Gadsden. Taki is survived by his devoted wife of more than 34 years, Louise Lancaster, daughter Catherine Andriadis (Karlis Adamsons) of Wilmington, DE; brothers-in-law Robert Lancaster and John Lancaster (Bunny) and sister-in-law Lucy Lancaster, all in Kentucky; and nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bishop Gadsden Resident Assistance Fund or the Bishop Gadsden Employee Assistance Fund, One Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412; Chamber Music Charleston, P.O. Box 80072, Charleston, SC 29416; and Respite Care Charleston, 405 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403. Arrangements by PALMETTO CREMATION SOCIETY, 11 Cunnington Ave., Charleston, SC 29405, (843) 722-2555. Online condolences may be left at www.palmettocremationsociety.com