Krisanthi Kiriaji

Born in 1921 in Lowell, she was the daughter of the late Antonios and Panagiota (Georgopoulos) Kartsonis. She was predeceased by her sisters Mary Kartsonis and Antigone (Kartsonis) Coronios, and her brother Charles Kartsonis. She was dearly loved by her daughter Claire (Kiriaji) Pagnotta and husband Tom, daughter Pamela Kiriaji, and son Charles Kiriaji and his wife Diane (Ralph) Kiriaji. She was loving Yiayia to seven grandchildren and Great Yiayia to seven great grandchildren: Jason Fitzgibbons and wife Courtney, Amanda (Kiriaji) Moore and husband Nick and their children Liam and Lucas, Becky (Kiriaji) Bickford and her children Ellie and Emma, Matt Pagnotta, Justin Pagnotta and wife Katie and their children Jack and Maya, Beth Pagnotta and husband Chris Thurston, and Drew Pagnotta and his partner Cristina Villacres and their daughter Paloma. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Kris grew up in Lynn, graduating from Lynn Classical as a member of the Honor Society. She was proud of her math skills and worked in accounting at New England Telephone (and its successors) in Boston. She was a devoted and active member of St. George Greek Orthodox Church. She joined the church’s Ladies Philoptochos Society and also happily taught Sunday School for 14 years, sharing her love of education with the kindergartners.

Kris cherished all time spent with family and friends. She loved walking around her neighborhood and socializing with neighbors, young & old. Thanks to her daughter Pam, she made many trips to Maine and New Hampshire to support her grandchildren at various events. Always willing to travel, Kris has made major trips to Greece, Hawaii, and Alaska, and visited many other places a little closer to home. After caring for her husband Nick earlier in her retirement, she began exploring her creativity by creating personal, handmade birthday and other greeting cards with acrostic poems. And, at least within the world of her family, invented a saying to live by: “Happy Every Day!”

Visiting Hours will be held Thursday, August 3, 2023 from 9:30 am - 10:30 am in the Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home, 157 Maple Street, Lynn. A Funeral Service will follow at 11:30 am in the St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 54 South Common Street, Lynn. Burial to immediately follow at Pine Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 54 South Common Street Lynn, Massachusetts 01902.