Learn about Betsy's Family History
Road to the American Dream
Betsy’s story is the American story.
Victor Kampas and Rebecca Lynch Kampas built a life together in Knoxville, where they raised three daughters: Betsy Henderson, Maria Landry, and Christina Kampas. They are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren — Jackson, Logan, Landon, Molly, and Beau — all of whom call Knoxville home. Although Victor and Rebecca were born worlds apart and began their journeys with little, they found each other in Knoxville, married, built thriving small businesses, and raised a remarkable family.
Betsy’s dad, Victor Kampas, was born in 1943 in Northern Greece while World War II still raged across Europe and in Greece. At the end of the war, the Kampas family moved to Athens as the Greek Civil War got underway. Despite the hardship, Victor’s family remained close despite the political instability, economic hardship, and social divisions. He still fondly remembers Athens, a city steeped in history, where he spent his boyhood playing soccer among the ruins of ancient stadiums.
At just 16 years old, with $50 tied around his neck and not knowing a word of English, Victor boarded the SS Queen Frederika alone. The ship carried him across the Atlantic for 13 days before he finally arrived at Ellis Island on March 20, 1960. Once he arrived at Ellis Island, he was too young to be let out on the streets alone, so a man who spoke Greek drove him to the airport. He was catching a plane to Los Angeles to meet his brother Gus. As they were landing, the pilot made an announcement that the airport in Los Angeles was too foggy, so they were diverted to another airport where there would be a bus to take them the rest of the way. When the plane landed, Victor looked all over for Gus, but Gus wasn’t there. Victor, because of the language barrier and not understanding the pilot’s announcement, thought he was now in Los Angeles. Victor then saw everyone else getting on a bus, so he followed along. Gus had been waiting for Victor for hours and found where the bus would let people off. When they were reunited, Gus told Victor what had happened. His brother, Gus, had made the journey to America ten years earlier. Gus came at the age of 13 to live and go to school with his aunt in Knoxville, and now it was Victor’s turn to chase the American dream.
Six months later, Victor and Gus traveled to Knoxville for a family wedding and never left. Once in Knoxville, he found shelter at the YMCA for $1 a night. He worked in a restaurant, saving every dollar he could. Before long, he and Gus rented their first restaurant, the Forest Avenue Market, for $100 a month. Life was tough, but Victor was determined.
Since Victor came to America at the age of 16, he wasn’t able to finish high school, yet he taught himself how to speak and read English. On August 5, 1965, after five years of building his life in America, Victor proudly became a U.S. citizen. Victor still reads the entire newspaper everyday.
In the mid-1960s, when a Burger King on Cumberland Ave went bankrupt, Victor and Gus bought it, giving it new life as the Varsity Inn. What started with just 16 seats soon expanded the building into an alleyway, growing to 130 seats. The Varsity Inn became a Knoxville favorite — a place where University of Tennessee students, athletes, coaches and locals could enjoy more food choices than other cafeterias on campus. Rebecca Lynch, a student at UT, was one of those customers. 
Betsy’s mom, Rebecca Lynch, was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville and grew up in South Knoxville with her two sisters, Cherri and Barbara. From a young age, Rebecca loved reading and eagerly visited the Book Mobile every week. One of her favorite book series featured a main character named Betsy, a name that later became special in her own family.
Rebecca’s father, Bob Lynch, a Knoxville fireman, worked his way up the ranks to retire as a Captain. He was also an electrician, and to Betsy and her sisters, he was known as Pappaw. Rebecca’s mother, Gussie, was a stay-at-home mom to take care of her and her sisters.
Rebecca attended Giffin Elementary for grades 1 through 6, where she built many happy memories. Summers were especially bright — she loved swimming at the Giffin Pool and spent long days at Granny Moore’s house, often swimming in a nearby swimming hole.
Rebecca and her friends played at Mary James Park, South Haven, and McClung, riding their bikes all over South Knoxville with a spirit of freedom and adventure. She would save glass bottles and redeem them for change at the Wilson store, just enough to catch a bus across the Gay Street Bridge to the Tennessee Theatre to see movies.
Later, Rebecca attended South High School for grades 7 through 12. There, she found a passion for drama, performing in the Drama Club and taking the stage in various plays. One of her proudest moments was playing Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank.
After high school graduation, Rebecca joined the Air Force and trained in Colorado where she began working at the Air Force Academy. After her service, she moved back to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee.

In 1978, Victor and Rebcca married, beginning a new chapter of their lives.
Rebecca stayed home with their girls and learned all about Greek culture and food. She made amazing memories for Betsy and her sisters. While raising her daughters, serving in the community was important to Rebecca. She served in the Junior Service League, served on multiple PTA boards, taught Sunday school and never missed a year baking pastries for Greek Fest. Betsy learned how important serving in our community is from her mom. Through it all, she helped Victor navigate the small business world.
Rebecca loves creating memories and traditions with her family. Every Sunday afternoon, the family would go for a drive and always stopped at Kay’s ice cream on Chapman Hwy. The family enjoyed going to Cade’s Cove to celebrate summer birthdays and spent time each week with Betsy’s papou and yiayia, Greek for grandfather and grandmother, going to their house for traditional Greek meals each week.
By the mid-1990s, they added Kampas Liquor to their growing list of businesses along Alcoa Highway.
In 2015, after decades of tireless work, Victor and Rebecca retired. Today, Rebecca continues to serve others by feeding the hungry through the Mobile Meals program. She often includes her grandchildren to teach them to serve others. She’s also an active member of American Legion Post 2. Rebecca and Victor still live in the city that they love so much, where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and remain active members of St. George Greek Orthodox Church — a testament to a lifetime of perseverance, community, and love for Knoxville.
