Elaine Camaras

Elaine Camaras, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on November 12, 2025 at the age of 86, with her family by her side. Born in Price, Utah to Argie (née Giannetakis) and George Gigounas, emigrants from Crete, Greece, Elaine was raised in Salt Lake City, where she cultivated the civic-mindedness and quiet generosity that would define her life.

Elaine attended South High School, going on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah. As a student, she volunteered and eventually became a phlebotomist at a local hospital. After graduation, Elaine worked as an elementary school teacher, known for her thoughtful approach with young learners. Across these early roles, Elaine was marked by her compassion and sense of duty, traits that guided her commitments to her family and volunteer endeavors.

She met and married Tykye Camaras in 1968, and they shared 51 years of marriage before his passing in 2019. Their life together revolved around their shared heritage, faith, and unwavering commitment to family. Elaine was a devoted homemaker and mother to their two children, Elena and Dean, who remember her gentle humor, patience, and the care she brought to everything she touched—from family meals and holiday traditions to the roses she tended in her garden. In her later years, Elaine found deep joy in her beloved grandson Ty, cherishing their weekly outings and proudly encouraging him in everything from Greek dance to baseball.

Elaine contributed generously to the church she loved. She and Tykye were founding members of Saint Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine and devoted participants in Leadership 100, supporting the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and its work to sustain Orthodoxy and Hellenism. She will be remembered as a person of abiding faith and a steward of tradition. Her volunteerism through the Church touched the lives of countless members of the Greek Orthodox community through the prayers she offered, her exquisite baked goods, and her service with the Philoptochos Society, where her care for those in need was always evident, and where she served a term as President.

Elaine also offered her time outside the parish. She was an active member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, a philanthropic educational organization dedicated to advancing women through scholarships, grants, and loans, and she took great pride in supporting its mission. During her children’s school years, she was equally devoted to the Harbor View Elementary PTA.

Elaine embodied and appreciated beauty. A generous arts patron who delighted in the ballet, symphony, and opera, she was also a regular attendee of the Greek Folk Dance Festival, appreciating the intricate dancing and costumes equally. Her quiet radiance was a reflection of her unhurried delight in the world around her. Her respect for life - plants, animals and people - was demonstrated by her attentiveness to all. Elaine will be missed for her greatest gift, her singular presence, which brought grace and equanimity to each moment.

Elaine was predeceased by her brother and by her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Elena, and her husband, Joey Abramson; her son, Dean Camaras, and his wife, Nicole (née Bertolina); and her grandson, Ty. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Ann Gigounas, as well as many nieces, nephews and godchildren whom she doted on lovingly.

Trisagion service will be on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 7:00 pm at Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Church at 4949 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92604. Funeral service will be on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 10:30 am at Saint Paul's with a Makaria (Meal of Blessing) immediately following. Burial will follow at 3:00 pm at Pacific View Memorial, 3500 Pacific View Drive in Corona Del Mar.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Elaine’s memory to Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, memo: "Philoptochos Society.”