Ann Kostas Papavassiliou

A proud Houstonian, Ann was born in 1925 to John (Ioannis) Kostas of Aretsou, Turkey (now Darica) and Mersini Raizis Kostas of Mytilene, Greece. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Constantinos A. Papavassiliou who passed away in 2001 and is survived by her three loving children, John G. Lewis of Houston, Ruth Marie Papavassiliou of Boulder, Colorado, and Stuart P. Papavassiliou of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Other survivors include her sister, Mrs. Hrisanthe Patts of Dallas, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins both in the United States and in Greece.

A person of varied interests and talents, Ann attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Bachelors of Arts and a Masters Degree in Education, both from The University of Houston. For many years she was a teacher at several schools including River Oaks Elementary School in the Vanguard Program and later as an assistant principal at other Houston area schools. An accomplished and award-winning watercolorist, she was a longtime member of Watercolor Art Society – Houston. Ann also performed in many community theater productions.

Throughout their life together, Ann and Costas were avid supporters of many of Houston’s cultural institutions including The Alley Theatre, the Houston Grand Opera, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Pin Oaks Charity Horse Show. She was also active in various programs and ministries at her church, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 7th of November, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where the Trisagion Prayers are to commence at seven o’clock.

The funeral service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 8th of November, at St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Eldridge Parkway in Houston.

Interment is to follow, via an escorted cortège, in the Temple Gardens at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Street in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that memorial contributions in her name be directed to the Ladies Philoptochos Society, a ministry at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Houston, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77006; or to the Watercolor Art Society – Houston, 1601 W. Alabama St., Houston, TX 77006.

Loved by many, she will be missed greatly by all who knew her. May her memory be eternal.