Grace Manos Catechis

Grace Manos Catechis passed away peacefully on Saturday, the 21st of March, 2015 surrounded by her loving family. Grace was born the 13th of June, 1922 in Port Arthur, Texas. She married her lifelong sweetheart and best friend Anastasios Spero (Bill) Catechis on the 14th of January, 1945, moving to Houston with their young family in 1951. Together they created a loving family and lived a life that reflected their faith.

Grace was a loving wife, mother, YiaYia and sister. She was instrumental in the success of her husband’s real estate ventures but always put family and Christ first and taught her children to do the same. She created a Sunday tradition, with church followed by homemade Greek delicacies, family discussions encouraging individual opinions, heartfelt advice and lots of laughter.

Grace was a devoted member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and loved her church community. She was an active volunteer in the Original Greek Festival since its inception, a lifetime member of the Daughters of Penelope and served as president. She was a member of Philoptochos Society, Senior Citizens and an innovative and creative Sunday school teacher. She was well versed in bible scripture and was even eager to debate the priests. She had a dynamic personality and a gift to communicate with all ages. Grace loved the Opera and the Arts and was a charter patron member of The Guild, Museum of Fine Arts.

Her intellectual curiosity filled her life. She enjoyed learning and challenging herself, mastering the computer in her later years for Internet research and shopping. She took great pride in her appearance and was fashion savvy, spotting and embracing new trends. She combined her youthful style with a twinkle in her eye, which embodied her sense of playfulness.

Grace was very proud of her Greek heritage and passed these traditions to her children and grandchildren. Her quick wit, laughter and wisdom will be greatly missed by her family, friends and community.

Grace is predeceased by her parents, George and Katherine (Whitcher) Manos of Port Arthur; her loving husband, Anastasios; and her sister, Mary San Angelo.

She is survived by her children, Spyros Catechis and his wife, Marian and their sons, Christopher (Jennifer), Nicholas (Emily), Alexander (Maria), and Stephen Catechis; Chris, his wife, Barbara and their children, Catherine Grace and George Catechis; and Georgia K. Shebay, her husband, Michael and their children, David (Elizabeth), Anastasia (Tucker) Singleton, and Andrew M. Shebay; and five great grandchildren.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to her loving assistants Mabel Johnson, Miriam Zelaya, and Cynthia Bates.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family that will begin at five o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 26th of March at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd. in Houston where the Trisagion Prayers are to commence at half past six o’clock in the evening.

The funeral service is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 27th of March at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The interment is to follow, via an escorted cortege, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

Serving as pallbearers are grandsons Christopher Catechis, Major Nicholas Catechis, Alexander Catechis, Stephen Catechis, David Shebay, Andrew M. Shebay, Tucker Singleton and her beloved nephew, Tom San Angelo.

In lieu of the customary remembrances, the family requests that memorial contributions in memory of Grace be directed to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd., Houston, TX 77006 or Hellenic College Holy Cross, 50 Goddard Avenue, Brookline MA 02445.