Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, she was the fourth and youngest daughter of Louis (Leonidas) and Marina Katsetos, originally of Sparta, Greece, and later of Harrisburg and Carlisle. She is survived by her husband of sixty years, Colonel George Jatras, USAF (Ret) of Camp Hill.
As a career military officer’s wife, Stella traveled widely and lived in several foreign countries where she not only learned about other cultures but became very knowledgeable regarding world affairs and world politics. She lived in Moscow for two years, where she worked in the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy. She also lived in Germany, Greece, and Saudi Arabia. Her travels took her to over twenty countries. In addition to the U.S. Department of State, her professional work included service with the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and the Veterans Administration.
Prior to the civil war in Bosnia (1992-95), Stella’s primary interest in foreign affairs centered on the Soviet Union and the issues of the Cold War. She and her husband lectured on their experiences in the Soviet Union at the Naval War College, the Air Force Command and Staff College, and to many military and civic groups.
With the breakout of the war in Bosnia, Stella was appalled by the bias of the Western media, especially in the United States, and began her efforts to present to the American people a more accurate view of that tragic situation. She later expanded her commentaries to numerous foreign and domestic issues, with her letters and articles published in the Patriot-News, the Washington Times, the Washington Post, the Arizona Republic, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as a number of magazines and periodicals. In addition, her writings have had worldwide distribution via the Internet.
Stella’s efforts to set out the real story of the Balkans wars (Bosnia and Kosovo) were warmly appreciated by the Serbian community, where she is particularly well known. In September 1998, a luncheon was given in her honor in Washington, D.C., by the Serbian community of the National Capital Area. In June 1999, Mrs. Jatras was the main speaker at the 54th Annual Serbian Day Celebration of Canadian Serbs in Niagara Falls, Canada. In February 2004 she was presented with a “Gramota” (formal certificate) by Bishop Artemije of the province of Kosovo and Metohija for her efforts on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox people of his diocese.
Predeceased by her younger son Jeffrey and sisters Besse and Helen, Stella is survived, in addition to her husband George, by her sister Florence Katsetos of Harrisburg; by her son and daughter- in- law James and Kathy Jatras of Falls Church, Virginia; her daughter-in-law Laurie Jatras and her daughter Michelle Johnson of Larchmont, N.Y.; her three granddaughters Christina Jatras of Arlington, Virginia, Jillian Shupert (nee Jatras) and her husband Shawn of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Alexandra Schmalzbach (nee Jatras) and her husband Brian of Falls Church, Virginia; great grandchildren Aiden and Jack Shupert and Stella, Peter, and Josiah Schmalzbach; and nieces Jo Ellen Hoffman of Harrisburg, Maria Van der Meij and her son Ruben of Lancaster, Victoria Wood (nee Jatras) and her husband Steven Nadell of Takoma Park, Maryland, Christina Oliver of Cartersville, Georgia and nephew Dino Bekas and his wife Cindy, also of Cartersville.
Viewing will be held at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Camp Hill from 9:00 AM on Thursday, 20 June with the funeral service at 10:00 AM followed by interment at the East Harrisburg Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1000 Yverdon Drive, Camp Hill, PA 17011 or to the Wounded Warriors Project at www.WoundedWarriorProject.org.
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