‘A heart for helping’: Diamonds Camera co-founder Jim Diamantis remembered as caring, family man

Diamonds Camera co-founder Jim Diamantis has died aged 70.

An Adelaide businessman behind one of one of Australia’s leading camera retailers has been remembered as a hardworking family man with a “heart for serving and helping the community.”

Diamonds Camera co-founder Jim Diamantis, 70, died after a sudden stroke earlier this month.

Mr Diamantis had been in a coma for 10 days before he passed “very” peacefully on Friday.

His family have described him as a devoted husband, father and grandfather always ready to lend a hand.

It was his caring nature that his son Nicholas said he admired most.

“He was the first to pick up a shovel or chat with someone who was dealing with something in their life,” he said.

Diamonds Camera co-founder Jim Diamantis (left) has died. Picture: Facebook

Mr Diamantis with his wife Julie who he has been married to for almost five decades. Picture: Facebook

Born in Kila, a small village in Kozani in Greece, Mr Diamantis was the eldest of three brothers.

When he was 12, his family moved to Adelaide in 1966 where he attended Croydon High School and worked multiple jobs despite not knowing English.

He went to trade school to study electronics, landing a job with Hanimex.

In a true show of his nature, when the company had to make job cuts, he asked that they let him go instead of his colleague whose wife had just given birth.

“They needed to let one person go so my dad called my mum and said I feel bad for him,” Nicholas said.

“So he then volunteered to leave even though he and my mother had also just gotten married and had a mortgage.”

He started Diamonds Camera with his brother Chris in 1982 which was no easy feat for the “two migrant boys.”

“This was during a period that did not always look favourably to Europeans arriving in Australia,” Nicholas said.

“So when they called a major camera company to ask if they can buy new cameras as ‘stock’ for their shop, the company rejected them.”

The brothers then went to Hong Kong where they bought cameras to ship back home to sell.

After finding out about this, the company that initially rejected them agreed to supply products on the condition that they stop importing from overseas.

From there on, the business continued to grow with the Diamantis brothers operating four stores and employing more than 50 staff at the business’ peak.

Outside of work, Mr Diamantis enjoyed spending time with his loved ones and going for walks along the beach- something he did nearly every day.

“He would always say that spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren gave him the most joy,” Mrs Diamantis said.

“Jim had a love and passion for his cars, motorbikes and the garden. This included helping his sons and ensuring their houses and garden always looked immaculate.

“He was also very fortunate to travel to many countries including back to Greece several times.”

Mr Diamantis is survived by his wife Julie, sons Nicholas and Billy, daughter-in-law Vassi and grandchildren Dimitri and Irena.