Michael and Annette (Friend)

Entered May 5, 2021

Jim, Janet,Kathy, Mike and Family
Our sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved Mother.
Although your hearts are heavy your memories will
Keep you strong.
God Bless her and grant her peace in heaven
Michael, Annette , Jen and Kris

Georgee and Liliana Kotsopoulos (Aunt)

Entered May 6, 2021 from Scarborough

Rest in peace theia.
Pleasant Journey!

Mike and Mary Karakasis (Cousins)

Entered May 6, 2021 from Toronto

Dear Kathy, Jim and your families,

Our deepest sympathies during this difficult time. Your mom was a remarkable woman and touched so many lives. We will always cherish the strong friendship that our parents had and will remember them fondly.

May your mom Rest In Peace and may her memory be eternal.

Love the Karakasis Family

Anita and Bill Fellows and family (Family)

Entered May 6, 2021 from Toronto

Our condolences on the loss of Marguerite. She was a special and loving Mum, Grandma and Great Grandma. She will be greatly missed.

Eleni and George Tsaprailis (Aunt)

Entered May 6, 2021 from Michigan, USA

Our sincerest condolences to the Paparizos family, May Theia Rest In Peace now, and may her Memory be eternal .

My yiayia pretty much brought me up from the preschool days (i'm 44 now) until I graduated from Earl Grey junior high in 1990. My parents worked full time and every morning, lunchtime and afterschool she would walk me to and from Frankland Elementary through a laneway parallel to the Danforth that connects Logan Ave where the school was to Fenwick Avenue where she's lived. My yiayia would always prepare the best Mediterranean lunches and after school snacks you can imagine - Plaka, Spanikopita, Keftethes, Mousakka.. I could go on and on. We ate like royalty - I was definitely one of the best fed elementary school kids in the city. From this, my yiayia inspired my love of cooking that I carry today. We would eat during school lunch break and then watch The Flintstones and Leave it to Beaver together until yiayia would walk me back to school for the afternoon. Later, she would also walk my sister and I to Chester subway station to meet up with my mom after work. Yiayia would do anything to help her family.

While my yiayia only really spoke Greek, she had an alarmingly strong understanding of English self-taught through years of watching Y&R in the afternoons after school. Likewise, despite her and my parents attempts to get me to learn Greek in afterschool programs (the class sat me at a table with a Thai brother and sister obviously there for childcare), it never really took more than the basic words (τη κάνης, γάλα, γαιδουρι to name a few) and our communication always landed on the blurred border of Greek and English dialogue (known by us non Greek speaking who try as 'Grenglish'). With our honed knowledge of Grenglish, yiayia told me stories about her youth in Greece living in Nazi occupied Greece and hiding in caves in the mountains... or being bit in the fields on the hand by a venemous snake and how they cut the poison out... or taking a boat to North America. Amazing stories!

Growing up, I'd always find trouble at my yiayia's house and in the neighborhood. Inspired by winter olympics, the grandkids and neighborhood friends would enjoy 'sledding' down the stairs at her house on a crib mattress. As it sounds, this was some high risk play and looking back as a parent myself now, I understand why she never really appreciated it. If my yiayia got really mad, she'd warn us with θα σε σπάσω (roughly 'i'm going to break you') and if you really pushed your luck she'd reach for wooden sticks conveniently holding the closest double paned window closed and we'd scatter and run. Haha - it was more of an idle threat than anything but we never stuck around to find out.

Yiayia was so amazingly strong. She raised two teenagers on her own as a widow since 1972. Worked in factories, cooked, cleaned. Everything. On her own. Also had a hand in raising all of her grandchildren to keep helping. She was always there to help her family.

As I got older I saw my yiayia less but she was always busy. She had a significant role bringing up 4 grandchildren after me and even helped with several of the great grandchildren later. Her love when you walked in the door to her house was always undeniable. We were always welcome, loved (and well fed) there.

Yiayia - you lived a full and amazing life. While I am sad that you are gone, I am happy that you are at peaceful rest and get to reunite with Vasili. I celebrate all of the memories and will carry them forward with your legacy forever. I love you - σε αγαπω παρα πολυ πολυ πολυ

Paul

Our Mom lived a long life of almost 95 years before passing away peacefully this past Sunday which was Greek Orthodox Easter.

Mom was born in the Village of Nestoria on July 15th 1926. She was the second of four siblings to Kyros and Maria, her parents. As a young girl while farming in the fields Mom had the misfortune of being bitten by a venomous snake on her pinky finger. Because she was in a remote location with limited medical care her family treated the infected wound by cutting into her baby finger with a hot iron knife and extracting the venom. This left her finger bent and deformed for life. It was always a good story for the grandchildren and the family as a whole. This spoke of her strength and courage.

A few years later during World War II Mom's village was invaded, ransacked and burnt by their Italian and German enemies. That Winter they fled for the nearby mountains and spent harsh Winter months surviving in hiding. During this time Mom suffered with bronchitis and her brother Lambros also contracted pneumonia from those harsh damp elements. Even with illnesses and being displaced they still had to continue working the fields to survive. They witnessed many atrocities during these difficult times but they remained positive singing folksongs and telling stories to each other.

In 1953 Mom and Dad moved to Toronto and were married that same year. Coming to a new country in which they didn't speak the language, they were without family and with just $50 in their pockets to start their new life. They were welcomed by other relatives who had already immigrated from Greece and spent their earliest days renting a single room with them. They had to work hard to make ends meet. Not long after in 1955 Mom gave birth to her son and followed three years later with a daughter in 1958.

Life was a struggle so Dad decided to go to Detroit, Michigan to start up a restaurant business with his brother Alex. It was decided that Mom would take both of us back to the Village in Greece for one year in 1959. We sailed from New York City to Athens. Mom was reunited with her parents/ our grandparents at this time. We returned the following year in 1960 to Toronto as did our Dad. That year Mom and Dad bought our home on Fenwick Avenue where Mom continued to live for her entire life.

They continued to work hard and raise us. In 1972 our Dad passed away fairly young leaving our Mom a young widow at the age of 44 with 2 young teenagers to raise alone.
She never remarried. At times she worked up to three different jobs in order to provide for us. In 1976 she retired and devoted the rest of her life to help raise her first grandchild, Paul. Closely followed by the birth of Andrea, Stephanie, Joseph and Vasili. This became her life mission bringing up the next generation of all five grandchildren.

Some of the good times we recall were trips to California to visit with her brothers and sister. She also got to go to Florida for one month in 1986. Mom also had a few trips to Greece back to the Village. In 2008 we went to Cuba in a large group of 16 of family and friends. Many of these trips we enjoyed together with her. Mom had great pleasure in showing us the Village and the mountains in 2001.

During her later years Mom was blessed with the birth of her great grandchildren, the first one in 2009 followed by six more totalling 7. Mom had great joy and took great pride in spending time with them while she was still healthy.

Mom's health deteriorated in her early 90s after having bouts with Dementia and experiencing a couple of hard falls resulting in fractures. In 2019 she fell and fractured her vertebrae and in August 2020 a second fall resulted in a hip fracture. Mom was never the same after these traumas.

Mom got her wish and spent her remaining months at home surrounded by her family. She was a fighter until the end. Mom closed her eyes and went to sleep on Sunday, May 2nd peacefully. We love her eternally and will miss her dearly but know that there is no more pain or suffering and she is finally back with her beloved Vasili.

"To know her is to love her".

To my Sweet and sassy (not many people knew this side to you) Yaiyai,
I want to start off by thanking you for all the sacrifices you made for our family. You taught me so many things, from cooking to grace, but my most cherished is that you taught me how to be caring and family orientated.
Most of my childhood memories have you in them. I will forever be greatful for my time with you. Your house was a sanctuary of safety for me. I remember all the sleep overs, listening to Greek radio, and dancing to music. Our trip to Greece was full of music and traditions. You where so proud to show me around the village and show me where you came from.
I loved spending time with you and your sister Olga (Yaiyai Olga to me). You two loved to compete against each other with who could cook better. I would never complain about being a judge, until it came time to choose my favourite. Almost every time your dishes were identical.
In Greece I got to meet your beloved youngest brother Theo Andoni and his beautiful wife Thea Angie. You where so proud to show off your family to me and I’m so greatful I was able to see all four of you together in California in your later years.
I remember so many fun times watching you and one of your best friend Yaivia primp each other, having coffee on each others porches, or just going for a walk together to see all the gardens. You both loved to watch golden girls and young and the restless together. You would Gossip about Y&R like you lived in Genoa city. I am so greatful for all those times we had together but most of all, I will cherish the last almost 6 years I have had with you.
You where not only hands on with all 5 of your grandkids but hands on with my son Clark, your great grandson- Your birthday buddy. I got to witness this beautiful friendship between you and him grow (even though you were 89 years apart).
I got the honour of being part of your care team in your final months. I hope I took care of you as well as you did us.
I will always miss you and σε αγαπώ πολύ πολύ
Love always
Stephanie

I always called you Yiayia from the very beginning. You welcomed me into the family. You helped me at the wedding since my parents could not be there. During my pregnancy you took care of me while Jim was at work. You took care of cooking, laundry, etc. We lived at Fenwick until it was time for us to get our own place.

Even when we did you were still there supporting us. Taking care of Paul enabling us to work and not have to pay astronomical daycare fees. You would walk over to our house and tend the garden and clean up inside. You were a big help to me and I love you for that.

We watched Y & R together. During my pregnancy with Paul you did everything for me. I don't think I ever thanked you. I thank you now. I will miss you so much.

Safe travels and God speed. Back with your Vasili. I will miss you dearly.

Love Jan

Yiayia told me I was her favourite grandchild when I was little. And while I'm pretty sure (at least now) that she told all of her grandchildren that at one time or another, she always made me feel like the centre of her universe when we were together (at least until the great grandchildren came around!). We were pretty close growing up. After all, I'm the grandchild who went to Greek school (all the way!) and learned to speak, read and write in Greek. In a lot of ways it was our secret language and a special way for us to communicate because only a few of us in the family understood ;) To this day I respond in English when people speak to me in Greek, in part because speaking Greek was our thing. Some would say we also shared a number of personality traits. Practical and pragmatic realists…entirely devoted to our families and loved ones but without being overly gushy about it. We just got each other, and we really enjoyed one another’s company.

I spent a lot of time with Yiayia growing up, often there from early morning until later evening or even overnight. Even after I started junior high and was old enough to go home after school on my own, I made a point of going to her place every Friday for dinner and a sleepover. We kept up the Friday night dinner tradition until I moved away to university and even then, we always made time to have dinner when I was back in town. When I stayed at Yiayia’s we always had sleepovers. We’d go to bed at the same time and she’d sing me funny Greek folk songs or make up complicated stories that were never terribly linear but that I loved hearing just the same. She’d make me pancakes for breakfast, lunch or dinner if I requested them, but also force fed me bitter greens on occasion…likely to balance out the treats?! I remember drinking coffee together every day after school from the time I was 4 (I suspect mine was mostly or all warm milk looking back) and it was her original position that learning to make spanakopita was a life skill that I needed to survive and succeed. Despite my lack of interest in elaborate cooking and the fact that I was an utter disappointment in the kitchen, she was one of my loudest cheerleaders and even became a bit of a feminist as she got older…telling me that I didn’t need to cook because I was a lawyer. She was so proud of me and believed that I could do anything I wanted.

When I brought Rob over for Friday night dinner for the first time, she was welcoming and supportive from the start. She never learned to pronounce or spell his name right (he will forever be “Rap” to her) but the two could make each other belly laugh even though I’m pretty sure they never fully understood what the other was saying. One time after he and I had been together for a number of years, one of Yiayia’s Greek friends suggested that I would be better off finding a “nice Greek boy” to settle down with instead of Rob. Yiayia was quick and fierce about setting her friend straight. She loved him wholeheartedly and Rob loved Yiayia too – especially her culture and traditions, her cooking and her lust for washing cement!

When we had Alice Margaret there was no question she was going to be named after her great grandmothers – two of the strongest ladies we knew. And we were so lucky to live a mere 400 metres away from Yiayia…when Alice and Clara were babies I’d often look up and see her peering her in my front window, having just stopped by for a quick cuddle and a coffee while out on one of her epic walks. Other times, I’d come home and she would have weeded my garden or raked the leaves, transplanted some flowers from her backyard or just used the hose to wash my front walk because, well, that was her thing. She loved being our neighbour almost as much as we loved being hers.

It was really hard for me to see your health decline over the last few years and harder still to know I can’t stop in for filakia on my way back from the Danforth anymore like I so often did. But it gives me comfort to know that you are at peace now – and that those personality traits that you and I share have been passed down to my girls too. Kalinychta Yiayia, se agapo. Andriana