Theoni Bessie Kaldis

Mrs. Kaldis was born in Dallas, Texas, on the 24th of September 1921, to a family comprised of her parents, Gus and Alexandra Andrews Barunes; Brothers George, Demitri and Pete Barunes; and sister Eugenia Barunes, all of whom predeceased her except for Eugenia.

In 1947, Bessie married Pete Kaldis, they moved to Houston, and together created the vibrant commercial real estate firm of Pete Kaldis Realty Company, Inc. While Pete was actively promoting the City of Houston and their real estate enterprises, Bessie was busy on the home front. As the Mother of seven vivacious and high spirited children, Bessie was hard at work in various aspects of her children’s lives including active participation in the PTAs of Poe Elementary, Lanier Middle, and Lamar High Schools, respectively, often with overlapping responsibilities within the groups. She was a matriarch and benefactor of the Annunciation Orthodox School and was recently honored as having the highest number of grandchildren (13) to attend and graduate from AOS in its brief but distinguished history.

Mrs. Kaldis was contemporaneously active in the community whether traveling with her beloved Houston Heritage Society, participating in activities with the Houston Embroidery Guild, the American Needlepoint Guild, the Houston Women’s Home, the Philoptochos Society or attending Disciples Bible Study Class, she was always “on the go” and intellectually engaged. She believed a woman’s place was not only in the home, but in the community, church, business and political arenas.

A complete and gracious woman in every sense, her children and grandchildren exemplify her ideals. She had a loving disposition, kind demeanor, courageous heart, inquisitive mind and adventurous spirit. Mrs. Kaldis lived a long and fulfilling life.

She was predeceased by her husband of fifty-two years, Pete Kaldis, on the 30th of December 1999. She is survived by her sister, Eugenia Barunes; sons, Constantine Kaldis, Michael G. Kaldis, M.D. and wife Dorothy, Andrew G. Kaldis and wife Catherine; daughters, Sultana Kaldis, Alexandra Tyson and husband George, Stephanie Fox and husband Clinton, all of Houston, and Barbara Cherry and husband Tim, D.V.M., of Nacogdoches, Texas; grandchildren, Susie Kaldis and Peter Kaldis, M.D.; Alexandra Venzke and William Venzke; Kimball Tyson, Elizabeth Tyson and Hart Tyson, M.D., and wife Amy; Megan Kaldis, Gregory Kaldis and Nicholas Kaldis; Christopher Fox; Sultana Cherry Singer and husband Robert, and Robert Cherry; Elena Kaldis and Leah Kaldis; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation, love and thanks to Mrs. Kaldis’ friend, attendant and housekeeper Guadalupe Morales and caregivers Eddie Guice, Camelia Garrett, Shirley Valary and Eugenia Michelle Harrison for their loving care and concern during her illness.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock this afternoon until eight o'clock this evening, Wednesday, the 22nd of August, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where the Trisagion prayers are to commence at half-past six o'clock, led by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Clergy.

The funeral service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 23rd of August, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard in Houston, also to be led by Cathedral Clergy.

Immediately following, all are invited to a Makaria luncheon in the adjacent Martel Hall.

Afterwards, the family is to gather for a private entombment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Mrs. Kaldis’ name be directed to Annunciation Orthodox School, 3600 Yoakum Blvd., Houston, TX, 77006; or the charity of one’s choice.