Athena Bilidas Cholakis

Athena Cholakis, devoted wife of 53 years to Louis Cholakis; beloved mother of Maria and George Cholakis; and loving grandmother to Ellis and Anya Heijst, and to Iriana, Ilias and Alexander Cholakis, passed away peacefully on the morning of September 19, 2014. May God grant eternal rest to her soul.

Athena was born to a working family of agricultural farmers, Stavros Bilidas and Stavroula Korini, in the town of Magoula, Greece, as the 3rd eldest of her 3 siblings, George, Loula, and Eugenia. She was raised in the beautiful farm setting of her family’s business, harvesting orange and olive groves. Along with her early studies, Athena’s interest and drive was notable as she took her own initiative to learn the art of sewing from a neighbor as a respected seamstress. Rooted deep inside her from a young child, she was motivated, but was foremost generous, loving, supportive and unselfish, and placed the needs of others and her family above her own. Sparked by curiosity of opportunity, she immigrated to America in her 20s with her elder brother and youngest sister, and married the man she has since been inseparable from, on July 2, 1961. Together, they built a legacy that will never be forgotten; from their family, to their businesses, Amphora Restaurant and Bakery, and throughout their community in Vienna, VA.

Athena was a person filled with light, and lived her life in the most positive way. Her grace was inspirational to all who knew her. She saw the good in everything, and was charitable within the local and church community, considerate and kind, while rousing those around her to do the same. Her heart was boundless, and she thrived on nurturing her children, her most prized possessions, through sacrifice and perseverance. A tireless homemaker, dedicated wife, and business partner, she was the foundation of support for her growing family as they built a business from the ground up in a foreign country. She loved to travel, go bowling with friends, garden, and spend time with her family, and as the years passed, she was rarely seen without her husband Louis, only steps behind. The two of them built a family that is a role model of the perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and emotional bond that empowers a child to venture with confidence into the greater world and to become all that he can be. She opened her heart to her grandchildren in the same endless way she had with her children. She has touched their lives and the lives of so many people in such a remarkable way, that her memory will live on in all of our hearts forever. Perhaps her biggest legacy is love. “A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.”

Family and friends may call at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042, on Monday, September 22, 7:00pm-9:00pm, with the Trisagion at 8:00pm. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 10:30am at Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church. Interment will follow at National Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Saint Katherine Church.