Cleo Alaoglu

Firstborn of seven children to William and Anastasia Barootes from Triglia, Turkey. Raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Graduated Saskatoon Teachers College 1938.

Taught Grades 1-7 in Soningdale, Sask. 1938-41; Grade 8 in Delisle, Sask. 1941-42; Grade 6 at Forest Hill School, Toronto, Ont. 1945-47.

Married Leonidas Alaoglu, Mathematician, August 21, 1947.

Raised three children in Encino, California: Angelo William Alaoglu, deceased; Ann Alaoglu, M.D., of Washington, D.C.; Elaine Alaoglu, Encino, California.

Also survived by her youngest brother, Stephen Barootes, of Toronto, and numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews.

During the 1960s she taught and ran the Sunday School at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge, Ca.

She returned to teaching Grade 2 at Pinecrest Schools, Granada Hills, 1971-77.

Founding principal at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox School 1979-84 She retired in 1984 after her husband's death in 1981 but remained on the School Board until 2012.

Cleo was small but mighty, a bundle of energy. She loved her students and all children. She was a people person and a woman of faith. She saw the good in people and overlooked their flaws. She enjoyed helping others, entertaining, gardening, traveling, a good laugh and a good prank, dark chocolate, french fries and Johnny Walker Red Label with water. She was the major-domo and chief executive of her large Barootes/Alaoglu family, always planning what the Royal "We" should be doing next. She was a passionate fighter as well as caring educator and friend. Her priority was what was best for the group, whether family, friends or community, not herself. She touched many lives in a positive way. She had a great run until age 95 when age finally began to catch up with her.

Since the death of her son Bill in 2014 she was a resident of Marble Terrace II. The family will be forever greatful for the loving care she received there, particularly by Elizabeth Godlewska, Grace Szczesna and Leszek Lis, and also the wonderful care provided by Assisted Hospice Care.

The family would also like to thank her dear friends Martha Katsufrakis and Van Pappas who regularly visited with her at Marble Terrace.

Trisagion, Thursday, March 24, 2016, 7:30 p.m. Funeral, Friday, March 25, 2016, 11:00 a.m. Interment at Oakwood Memorial Park, Chatsworth. Makaria following interment, back at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA.

The family requests donations to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox School, Northridge, or a charity of your choice benefiting children.

Arrangements under the direction of Bastian & Perrott, Oswald Mortuary, Northridge, CA.