Peter Artimes Salagianis

Peter was born in Yakima, WA, to his parents Artimes and Eleni Salagianis, immigrants from Greece. After graduating from high school in Spokane, WA, Peter Joined the Marine Corp and served in the Intelligence Department in Okinawa. He was Honorably discharged on January 28, 1956.

Peter attended the University of Washington, College of Pharmacy, and in 1958 Peter received a letter of Congratulations from Jack Orr, Dean of the College of Pharmacy, for his Scholastic Performance.

In 1974 Peter began working at the Book Nook as Pharmacist and Manager. It was also when Peter met Governor Dan Evans, who was touring Walla Walla.

Peter was quiet and a great person who was easy to know and like. Most of Peter’s adult friendships began early in his career when he moved to Walla Walla and became the Book Nook’s favorite Pharmacist in downtown Walla Walla. Peter loved his job and enjoyed the people he met, whether they were customers or fellow employees. Being very bright, curious, and well-read, he could easily discuss local and world events while respecting the opinions of others. He was fiercely proud of his Greek heritage, his parents, his extended family, and especially his sister Dina Baker.

When Dina and her husband also moved to Walla Walla, she and Peter would look out for one another and enjoyed each other’s company for the rest of their lives. Over the years, many of Dina’s friends became Peter’s friends, and many of Peter’s friends were Dina’s friends. Later, when Dina moved to Wheatland Village, Peter would walk there so they could have lunch together.

Peter had lots of acquaintances and a small group of close friends. If you were lucky enough to be one of those close friends, he cared for you like family. Younger, older, male, and female, Pano loved each one of us, and we loved him. Together we vacationed, scoured yard sales, had yard sales, followed sports, played racketball, barbecued, played and hosted poker games, pitched horseshoes, smoked the occasional cigar, met six mornings a week on the patio of the Merchants, shared dinners, and ate 100’s of Pizzas; He loved a good steak with a liberal dousing of salt, cold soup straight out of the can, orange juice on his cold cereal, a cold beer, and good or average wine (he wasn’t that particular).

Mostly he loved his mother’s and sister’s Greek cooking and his many cats. Peter didn’t find all of his cats, they found him, and like his close friends, they were treated royally. Dear Pano, you will be missed a lot and loved always.

Funeral service will be held on March 29, 2022, at 11:00 am at Mountain View Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Walla Walla Symphony, Walla Walla YMCA, Blue Mountain Humane Society, or a charity of your choice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, WA 99362.