Obituary of Evangelia Stergaros

With fond remembrance, we bid farewell to Evangelia Stergaros who peacefully passed away Monday, March 18th, surrounded by loved ones. In 1942, Evangelia was born in the quaint village of Paradisi on the Greek Island of Rodos, predeceased by her parents Diamantis and Evanthia Hatzitheodosiou. She regularly looked back on her childhood years, recounting the stories of fun and excitement on the island. The primary characters of these stories were most often her beloved siblings: Efrem (Mike) Theodossiou, Stamatia Vasilas, Dimitri (Jim) Theodossiou, Eleftheria Affentoulis, and Niko Hatzitheodosiou. Her life on the island – swimming in the ocean, picking fresh sica, attending elementary school, and playing with her closest friends – was one we all envied. However, the stories we yearned to hear most were the romantic ones; the sweet love story of Evangelia and George, two kids raised in the xorio of Paradisi who grew up to form a beautiful life together. From endearingly watching a young George Stergaros play soccer alongside her brother to riding on the back of his bicycle through the village's narrow streets, her words and stories radiated with the thrill of their romance. His enthrallment with her, however, came at no surprise to us – afterall, how could one resist her beautiful hazel eyes?

In 1961 she moved to Ottawa, Canada, where she was quickly followed by her soon-to-be husband, George. By 1965, they were married in Ottawa and began their Canadian lives together. They had three beautiful girls: Despina "Debbie" (George) Vlachos, Evanthia "Eva" (Dan) Grenier, and Samantha Stergaros (Mike Naufal). Evangelia remained her daughters’ number one fan and the epitome of a happy homemaker. She always had lunch ready on the stove when the girls came home on their breaks but was also always there to sneak them a chocolate bar when they deserved a treat. Together, she and George fostered a household filled with love, music, food, and family. Despite being widowed at a young age, the memory of George and their warm marriage remained vivid in her words, assuring that her grandchildren knew the man that loved her most.

In 2002, she moved in with her youngest daughter, and while she may have raised three wonderful children, her mother duties were not quite ready to be retired. She became a second mom to her two grand-daughters, Sofia and Marysa, teaching them the importance of education, family and hardwork, and the power of a good lipstick. The Naufal Household, coined “Grand Central Station,” was always bustling with visitors eager to get their dose of Thea Vangs. Aside from feta and olives, her grandchildren are what kept Evangelia going. Evangelina and Justin Grenier were her favourite regular visitors and she was always over the moon when Vicky and Theodore, her grandchildren from Montreal, made the trip to see her. You could always find her stationed at the kitchen table or in the living room with her beloved telephone, Bingo scratch cards, and coffee within close reach. Evangelia, as she remained the center of our living room on her polythrona over the years, equally remained at the center of all of our lives. Thus, she leaves behind a chair, and a void, that can never quite be filled.

The love her daughter, Samantha, and her son-in-law, Michael, had for her was evident in their unwavering care for her. There was no one else she trusted quite like Sam and Mike (she may have trusted Mike a little more than Sam when it came to making her nightly oatmeal). Together with their daughters, Sam and Mike infused her life with excitment. Whether it was taking her to her favourite fish and chips restaurant, strolling together through the Tulip festival, or treating her to strawberry sundae from Baskin Robbins, together they found so much joy in the simplest pleasures. It didn’t take much to put a smile on her face and her joy was palpable in their daily shared moments. While Evangelia’s health tested her many times, it seemed in 2019 she was sent an angel on Earth – one in the form of a small little lady named Helen. Although she started off as her caregiver, Helen quickly became her best friend. They spent everyday together; cooking, talking, laughing, eating, or simply sitting in each other’s silent company. They became a power cooking duo, with Evangelia as the delegator and Helen as the chef, ensuring that the house smelled of our favourite dishes. Helen even picked up a good amount of Greek including, “Vale skordo!” and “Ligo alati!” Helen allowed her to continue to do the things she loved, including going to Billings Bridge three times a week, and gifted her with a friendship she cherished profoundly. Always promoting religion and traditions, Evangelia was a devoted member of the Hellenic Community of Ottawa as well as the Philoptochos Society for many years. She looked forward to the community’s events as it meant putting on a nice outfit and talking to her dear friends. Evangelia’s life overflowed with love and family. Her enthusiasm for life knew no bounds as she embraced each day with a joie de vivre like no other.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to Helen for your years of kindness and compassion to our beloved yiayia. Our sincerest appreciation also goes to the Dialysis Unit at The Ottawa Hospital who cared for her for 22 years and grew to love her as more than a patient but a dear friend.

Those who wish to pay their respects may do so at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church,1315 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa on Friday, March 22,2024. Visitation will be from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm, followed by the funeral service at 12:00 pm. Interment will take place at Pinecrest Cemetery, followed by a Makaria reception to commemorate Evangelia’s life, at the Hellenic Event Centre. In loving memory of Evangelia, donations can be made to the Dialysis Unit at The Ottawa Hospital as well as the Hellenic Community of Ottawa Greek Orthodox Church.