Katerina M. Germanides

Katerina Germanides (nee Makris) passed into peace the 17th of April 2016, at Methodist Hospital after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1943, married and started her family in New York City, and relocated to Houston in 1980.

After she graduated Southwest High School in Kansas City, she attended St. Basil’s Teachers Academy in Garrison, New York, where she trained to become a Greek language teacher. She won a scholarship to attend Arsakeion Academy in Athens, Greece for two years. While she studied there, she joined a Greek folk dancing group and stayed an additional year to perform with them.

When she returned to the United States, she settled in New York City, working at the offices of the Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America. She was a secretary for His Eminence Archbishop Lakovos and His Grace Bishop Silas. It was during those years she met and married Basil Germanides, who has been her devoted husband for 46 years.

She was a dedicated member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Houston, where through the years she volunteered with the Philoptochos charitable association, Daughters of Penelope, Greek Orthodox Youth of America, Annunciation Orthodox School, as well as the cathedral’s annual Greek Festival. She also enthusiastically supported SEARCH Homeless Services, where she served in multiple roles, including President of the Board.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children Sophia and Edward Dryer of Baltimore, MD, and Orestes and Maria Germanides of Bellaire, TX; her grandchildren William, Marina, and Veronica Dryer and Lefkie and Vasili Germanides; her brother Peter Makris of Kansas City, MO; and her dear siblings-in-law George and Lenore Germanides of Los Angeles, CA, and Niko and Anna Mavrelis of New York, NY and their families.

Since first diagnosed in 1995, she inspired many with her positive attitude and zest for life.

During her long illness she was attended to by hundreds of compassionate caregivers, but in her final days, the care she received at Methodist Hospital under direction of Juan Olivero, M.D., Janet Gilmore, R.N., and the nursing staff of the Medical ICU will always be remembered.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Thursday, the 21st of April, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where the Trisagion Prayers will commence at half-past six o'clock.

The funeral service is to be conducted at half-past ten o'clock in the morning on Friday, the 22nd of April, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard in Houston, where the Cathedral Clergy along with His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos are to officiate.

Interment will follow, via an escorted cortege at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

In memory of Katerina, the family welcomes memorial contributions to SEARCH Homeless Services, 2505 Fannin, Houston, TX 77002.