Polixeni S. Stavropoulos

July 29, 1939 –March 24, 2026

On March 24, 2026, our beautiful mother, Polixeni “Pauline” Stavropoulos Craig, passed peacefully in the arms of her daughters, Candice Miller and Crystal Larsen.

Our mother lived an extraordinary life; one we believe was truly blessed and we are so grateful to have been the daughters of such a remarkable woman.

She was born on July 29, 1939, in South Bend, Indiana, to immigrant parents who came to the United States from Greece. Her father, Serafim Stavropoulos, and her mother, Cleopatra (Gekas) Stavropoulos, raised their children with a deep sense of family, culture, and pride in their Greek heritage. She grew up with her two sisters and brother and carried the love of family and connection with her throughout her life.

She began her education at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame and later attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Although she did not complete her degree during her early college years, she fulfilled that goal many years later earning her Bachelor of Science with a double major in Journalism and English while sailing the South Pacific, an accomplishment made all the more remarkable at a time when “remote” education did not exist.

She married Robert Lee Craig, Jr., and together they settled in Lighthouse Point, Florida, where they raised their daughters. In 1974, our family moved to Mount Dora, Florida. During that time, our mother sold advertising for the Orlando Sentinel and also hosted her own talk radio show, where she interviewed different guests each week. She thoroughly enjoyed both positions as they gave her the opportunity to express her creativity, personality, and love of communication.

In the early 1980s, she moved to Seal Beach, California, where she embarked on a remarkable two-year journey aboard a 65-foot Cheoy Lee sailboat, sailing across the Pacific all the way to New Zealand, with stops in the Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Cook Islands, Tonga, and Fiji. She lived in New Zealand for six months before eventually returning to the United States.

She then moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where she owned and operated the Bonners Ferry Nursery, which remains open today. There, over 25,000 varieties of shade and ornamental trees were grown and cultivated. They also grew a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and one of the most special things she did was with the raspberries she carefully cultivated and the countless hours she spent making raspberry and strawberry jams, which she lovingly canned herself. If you ever had the opportunity to taste it, you knew just how exceptional it was. During that time, she also raised a special breed of sheep from New Zealand known as Coopworth. While living in Idaho, they successfully propagated and patented the “Perfect Purple Crabapple” tree.

After selling the farm in Idaho, she spent a short time back in California before beginning a life shared between the United States and her parents’ homeland of Greece.

Greece was where she truly came alive. She loved late-night dinners and dancing, spending time with family and friends, attending concerts, and simply living life among the people and culture she loved so deeply. Speaking her native language and reconnecting with her heritage brought her so much joy.

Our mother was also incredibly gifted. She spoke four languages fluently and was a classically trained pianist with a natural musical talent. She played beautifully and could perform by ear, often filling any room with music and entertaining family and friends with her gift. If a home or room had a piano, you can bet she would play for you or anyone in the room while getting everyone to sing along. Our home was always filled with music. She was also a wonderful cook who prepared some of the most incredible Greek meals, bringing family together around the table with love and tradition. Above all, she was an incredible mother who instilled strong values, resilience, and a deep appreciation for family. She also had a love for astrology and delighted in any opportunity to have her chart read by well-known astrologers. Over time, she became quite knowledgeable herself and loved sharing what she learned telling you your sign, your traits, and what it all meant. It was always in good fun and very much a part of her spirit. She also loved the Notre Dame fight song and taught her daughters to sing it almost as soon as we could talk.

She eventually returned to the United States, living in several places before settling back in Florida for the final chapter of her life.

She was diagnosed with dementia, a disease that slowly took her from us. In her final years, she was surrounded by the unwavering love and care of the daughters, who remained by her side.

Our mother leaves behind her daughters, grandchildren, sisters, loving family and dear friends whose lives were touched by her unforgettable personality, love, and so much more.

We will forever be grateful for the life she gave us, the adventures she shared with us, and the love she showed us every day. We will carry her stories, her laughter, her music, and her spirit with us always.

Her ashes will be spread in Greece.

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