Helen was born in Alexandria Egypt. She grew up in a traditional Greek family where her father was a ships engineer and her mother was a homemaker. She always took pride in the fact that her grandfather was a physician who cared for the workers who built the Suez canal. She played basketball as a teenager and this gave her a love of sports. She loved watching and hearing about how her grandkids were athletes. After her father died things were tough and eventually she emigrated to the US where some relatives were living. On the trip over she met her first husband John Manis and was married a year after she arrived, coming though Elis Island in New York. She had 2 children a son and daughter who she was extremely proud of. While she was in New York she and some church friends published the Art of Greek Cooking through her church and it made the New York Times best seller list and raised millions of dollars for her church. Unfortunately, her husband died at a relatively young age after 25 years of marriage and she was devastated.
Her children were grown and had married, and she eventually derived comfort from her second husband and her grandchildren and moved to Pensacola to be near her family. She was very active in her church where she was a beloved member. She continued her cooking skills. Her second husband Joe Milukas died after some 20 years of marriage and she was again alone but had family and friends and Church to fill the void.
Her later years were devoted to her church and family, and she had a full life. As her life drew to an end she planned for that as she had planned many other aspects of her life.
She is survived by her children MaryAnn(Marc) and Peter ( Justine dec) and her grandkids Alex, Laura Paul, J ( Elise), Jennifer and Diana( John) She was expecting her first Great Grandchild in another month
She loved all of her family including her many fur babies who will also miss her.
Her life was full and without regrets and she leaves a legacy of faith in her Church and hospitality to all devotion to family and was loved by all she came in contact with. She will be missed and leaves us with a hard act to follow but enriches us by her example.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 21, 2018 at Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel, 3351 Scenic Highway.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1720 West Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502.
FAMILY
MaryAnn(Marc) and Peter ( Justine dec) and her grandkids Alex, Laura Paul, J ( Elise), Jennifer and Diana( John)
DONATIONS
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church1720 W. Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida
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