For Sam Pankas, cutting and styling hair was like being on stage.
"He loved the social aspect of it," said his wife, Lynda Pankas. "He was always entertaining."
Sam J. "Mr. Sam" Pankas of Mt. Lebanon, formerly of Canonsburg, died Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011. He was 78.
Mr. Pankas owned Alexandra's Hair Salon in Scott Towne Center for more than 20 years and formerly owned Vogue Hair Fashions in Pittsburgh. Because Vogue was near Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, Downtown, he often served as coiffeur for celebrities such as Lana Turner, Jayne Mansfield and Jane Russell.
"Thirty years ago, he was one of the top stylists in Pittsburgh," said his friend Geno Levi, owner of Geno Levi Salon in McMurray. "He had a great reputation. He was a very positive influence for the industry."
Levi said even late in his life, Mr. Pankas remained interested in learning the latest trends.
"He would call me and say, 'What's new?' He was always seeking education."
Mr. Pankas was inducted into Pittsburgh Beauty Academy Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 1980, an accomplishment his wife said was a highlight of his career.
He won dozens of national and international awards for hair styling, and magazines featured his styles. In 1963, the National Hairdressers Association voted him Hairdresser of the Year.
But Mr. Pankas was known more for his personality than his accolades,.
"He was a little outside-the-box, and he made his own way. It's what endeared him to people," said his wife.
"He would lift up a room," said Manuel Pihakis of Canonsburg, Mr. Pankas' friend since childhood. "Before he left a room, everyone would befriend him. Talk about somebody who was a perfect friend."
His nature made him particularly popular in his salons.
"In our industry, we have the very unique opportunity to have the power to influence and lift up someone's day," Levi said. "If you came in with a wounded spirit, Sam would get you all patched up. He loved encouraging people."
Mr. Pankas was born in Canonsburg on May 1, 1932, the son of Dimitrios and Tsambika Kiriazis Pankas. He served as an Army corporal in Germany during the Korean War.
He was a member of All Saint's Greek Orthodox Church of Canonsburg and American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association 156.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Pankas is survived by his daughter, Alexandra, of Baltimore; son, Dimitri, of New York City; brothers, George and John, and a sister, Stella "Beba" Velisaris, all of Canonsburg.
Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. today in All Saint's Greek Orthodox Church, 601 West McMurray Road, Canonsburg, followed by a service with the Rev. George L. Livanos officiating. Interment will be in Oak Spring Cemetery, Canonsburg. Sollon Funeral Home Ltd. of Canonsburg handled arrangements.
