Marigoula Giannakos

Giannakos, Marigoula, Maria (Mum), age 80 of Lower Sackville passed away April 6, 2014 in the Halifax Infirmary, QEII. She was born in Nafpaktos, Greece on June 1, 1933. She was a daughter of Sotirios and Martha(Raftopoulos)Sotiropoulos.

She is survived by her children John (Maria), Bessie (Argirios) Bistekos and the loves of her life, grandchildren Zafiris and Joanna. She was predeceased by her husband, Zafirios(Bill), brothers Vasilios, Alex, Giannis, Giannaki, Dimitri, Nickos and George, sisters Plumena, Eleni and Sofia. Maria will be fondly remembered and greatly missed as a generous and loving person who took every opportunity to volunteer for her church and support her community and families in need.

Maria and Bill operated Mary’s Lunch in the south end of Halifax from 1966-1969. In the spring of 1969 she moved her family to Sackville and owned and operated Hellas Restaurant which continues to operate today. She was a staunch businesswoman who modernized her restaurant business in 1974 and built the second commercial plaza in 1978 that continues to be part of the family enterprise. She served as secretary, treasurer and president of the Ladies of Philoptochos. She also sat on council of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church. Maria and her husband were two of the early volunteers of the Annual Greek Fest and she continued to advise the many committees up until her death. She carried the Olympic torch through Sackville and she was awarded Maritimer of the Week, June 12, 2009. Maria and Bill enjoyed the fall months in Florida and the summer months at the family cottage in Martin’s River. She was well known for speaking her mind and would scrap with the best of them.

Visitation will be Tues. Apr. 8 from 7-9pm and Wed. Apr. 9 from 2-4 and 7-9pm in JA Snow Funeral Home 339 Lacewood Dr. Hfx NS B3S 0E1(455-0531). A funeral Mass will be held Thurs. Apr. 10 at 1pm in St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church, 38 Purcell’s Cove Rd. Burial at Oakridge Cemetery, Sackville NS. Reception will be held at the Church following the burial.

Thank you to Dr. Christy Bussey, nurses Charlene, Joanne and Wendy at the QEII Halifax Infirmary for making Mum comfortable and for your kind word of encouragement, along with the staff of the 8th floor. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church.