Shabi Eleftheriou

word or a song, if I can show somebody where they are traveling wrong,

then my living shall not be in vain.” - Martin Luther King

Although she may not have known this would be her calling, we all certainly

recognize that this was the motto after which Shabi would live her life.

After a brave battle with breast cancer, Shabi Eleftheriou (age 62) transitioned

from this life to life eternal on the morning of October 25, 2015 in Astoria,

NY with her family at her bedside. Her strong will to live, unwavering faith in

God as well as the love and prayers of family and friends carried her through

her illness over the years. Yet even throughout her personal battle with cancer,

Shabi managed to touch so many lives in unique and meaningful ways.

Shabi was born on February 9, 1953 in Newville, AL, to father Ermon Weems

and mother Marie Culver Weems. She grew up in a large, loving family with

ten sisters and five brothers. Following in the footsteps of many of her siblings,

Shabi relocated to New York City in 1971 where she accepted a position at

New York Bell Telephone Co. from which she retired in the mid 1990s. During

this period, she would meet the love of her life, Milton Eleftheriou. Married for

25 years, Milton and Shabi resided in a closely-knit neighborhood in Astoria

where they raised their beautiful twin daughters, Asha & Kayla. Shabi re-entered

the workforce at Sithe Global Power before landing a job at BlueRock

& Lively Group in 2006, where she was treasured and adored by colleagues

and clients alike.

In addition to her husband and children, Shabi also leaves behind sisters:

Erma Caldwell (Richard) - NJ, Gloria Weems - NJ, and Angela Weems - NY;

brothers, Lonnie Patterson (Albertha) - NY; and Paul Weems Ahmad (Blanca)

- CA; in-laws: Jack Eleftheriou (Joanne) – NY, John Eleftheriou (Debbie) – NY,

and Tami Eleftheriou (Nick Eleftheriou, deceased) - SC; and an uncle, two (2)

aunts, and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Her passing is preceded

by her parents and by siblings: Odell Weems; Essie D. Kelly; Annie Howard;

Jewel Pulley; Agnes Culver; Jessie Johnson; Opal Powell; Quincy Patterson;

Everdean Manuel; and Shahied Ahmad.

The family would especially like to thank Ethel Rubinstein and the entire BlueRock

family for their compassion, love and support of Shabi and her family;

the staff at New York Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing for their attentive

care and for being gracious to the numerous visitors during the past three

weeks; and Thomas M. Quinn & Sons for housing today’s services.