Georgia Christakos

Georgia Christakos, 88, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, passed away on October 11, 2012, peacefully at the Halifax Infirmary, QEII, of natural causes.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00PM on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church on Purcell’s Cove Road. Father Maximos Saikali of St. Antonios, Antiochian Orthodox Church will be officiating for Father Peter Maropoulos of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church. Burial to follow at St. John’s Cemetery, 2PM. Funeral arrangements are being handled by J.A. Snow Funeral Home. Visitation will be held 6 to 8 PM, Tuesday, October 16, 2012, at J.A. Snow Funeral Home.

Georgia (Kamoulakos) was born in Lakonia, (Krokea) Greece on May 25, 1924. Historically, Spartan women were famous for their independence. The greater freedom and status of Spartan women began at birth. They enjoyed status, power, and respect that was unknown in the rest of the classical world. Georgia was a Spartan woman, empowered by these traits.

Georgia married George Christakos October 7, 1945. Georgia, along with her family emigrated from Sparta, Greece, to Canada in May 1957.

Georgia was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. She was fiercely independent and a guardian. As with her favorite flower, Georgia’s heart had the softness of rose petals, this combined with her determination to protect was much like the plant she tended, her entire life. Georgia (with her husband George) was a cornerstone in the success of the family hospitality business, starting with the Floral Restaurant (Quinpool Road, the location later known as the Spartan Restaurant), Karas Restaurant (Barrington Street), Apollon Restaurant (Portland Street), and her influence and work at Zapatas (South Park Street), Pepe’s Café Bar & Grill, Cabbagetown, and the Pasta House (Spring Garden Road). Georgia continued to be the “matriarch”, of successful food philosophy, to this day, extending to the Brooklyn Warehouse (Windsor & Almon Streets). Her baking and cooking skills were an art form. Her influence from a bakery, to a café, or a kitchen table, is embodied by everyone in the family. Her work with the Church, and as a community founding member of the Annual Greek Festival, was heart felt. As commented recently, “If during her service you were to look at the respectful attendance, it would be hard to find someone Georgia had not fed at some point in their lives”.

“Kyria” Georgia worked tirelessly at all stages of her life, especially with her work at the Greek Orthodox Church. She was actively involved in helping those in need through the Philoptohos Society and to preserve and promote everything Helenic - Greek Culture and Arts. Georgia enjoyed her gardening (plants loved her), the harvest of her hard work, and her needlework.

Georgia is survived by her daughter Eleni (Lena), sons, Pano (Peter), Christos (Chris – British Columbia), and Leonidas (Leo), grandchildren Anna, Christina, Alexander, George, Georgina Eleni, Angelica, Bianca and Dakar, her great grand children, Alexus, Constantine, Isaiah, and Georgina, her brothers George (Sparta) and John, and sisters Dimitra, Voula (Sparta), and cousins, nieces and nephews in New York, Ontario, British Columbia, and Greece, and other family and friends.

Georgia was preceded in death, by her husband George, sister Anna, brothers Pantelis (Peter) and Makis (Karolos). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to St. George’s Greek School, or the Philoptohos Society. The family of Georgia Christakos wishes to thank the doctors, nursing and care support staff, of the Halifax Infirmary (QEII).