OBITUARY
Pota Vurnakes Vallas
September 14, 1908 – December 12, 2017
Mrs. Pota Vurnakes Vallas passed away peacefully at home on December 12, 2017 at the age of 109 surrounded by her loving family. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, and a pioneering entrepreneur and businesswoman.
Mrs. Vallas was born in 1908 in Krissafa, Greece, a small village near Sparta, the eldest of 10 children, Panayiota “Pota.” In 1924, Pota’s father, who was Raleigh’s first Greek immigrant, Gus Vurnakes, brought Pota to the United States where she assisted him at the California Fruit Store on Fayetteville Street. At only 16 years of age with no English proficiency, she made homemade ice cream and chocolates, which were delivered via horse-drawn wagon to leading homes and businesses. The remainder of Pota’s family fled to Raleigh in 1939 only months before the Axis Occupation of Greece.
In 1927, she married her husband and fellow immigrant, the late George Theodore Vallas before the onset of the Great Depression, which wrought devastation on the Vurnakes and Vallas families. They lost their home, life savings, and the California Fruit Store. It was in the midst of the Great Depression that Pota displayed her innate Greek resolve to succeed. She applied to work for the Singer Sewing Company in 1931 and quickly emerged as a talented salesperson and manager.
During the Depression, Pota, George, and many other Greek families established a small Orthodox Church in downtown Raleigh. In due time, Pota and George purchased land and built a home on Leadmine Road. With Raleigh’s Greek population growing rapidly, Pota and George donated land for the construction of the new Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church that still stands today on the corner of Leadmine Road and French Drive.
Pota’s dream of opening her own business became a reality when in 1944 she traveled to Chicago with husband George and acquired the distributorship of the National Sewing Machine Company. Her many buying trips to New York inspired her creative mind and talents, which blossomed into one of North Carolina’s leading interior design firms. To accommodate the growing business, George purchased the three-story brick building for Pota at the corner of Hillsborough Street and Glenwood Avenue. National Art Interiors became a landmark for the finest furniture and fabric companies, furnishing many of the finest homes and businesses in North Carolina including First Citizens Banks and Capital Broadcasting Company. Pota worked at National Art Interiors with her daughters and other family members until she retired at the age of 94 in 2002.
Pota served on the Boards of First Citizens Bank and the North Carolina Community Foundation. She was a life-long member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and a member of Philoptochos. She was honored with the Saint Michael’s Award, the highest recognition for a layperson, for her years of dedicated service by the Greek Orthodox Diocese of America.
Among Pota’s many gifts, perhaps her most significant was her ability to make everyone she encountered feel special and was much loved by all. With indomitable spirit and her ever-present smile, she embodied the phrase “Where there is a will, there is a way.” With great energy and faith, she said, "Yes to Life" that was the driving force for her lifelong success.
Pota was preceded in death by her husband George and daughters Harriet Apostolou and Vicky Pediaditakis.
She is survived by her children Roxanne (Steve) Serletis of Raleigh and Ted (Dot) Vallas of Fuquay-Varina; and grandchildren William Serletis, Johanna (Jim) Irving, George (Tracy) Serletis, Karen (Socrates) Gliarmis, Constance (Akim) Anastopoulo, Alex (Harriet) Apostolou, Stephanie Vallas, Paula (Angelo) Anastopoulo, Cara (John) Adcock, Stephanie (Jesse) Goslen, Nicole Pediaditakis, Peter (Beth) Pediaditakis, and 22 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 15, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., with a Trisagion Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m., at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 5000 Leadmine Rd., Raleigh, NC 27612. The funeral will be held Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church followed by a graveside service at Montlawn Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 5000 Leadmine Rd., Raleigh, NC 27612, www.holytrinityraleigh.org or Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Cir., Raleigh, NC 27607.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.
Services
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Visitation
Friday, December 15, 2017
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Trisagion Prayers
Friday, December 15, 2017
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Funeral Service
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Memories
Pota Vurnakes Vallas
have a memory or condolence to add?
ADD A MEMORYSharon murray
December 18, 2017
My Father Ralph Murray worked for Mrs. Vallas mainly in the 70's at her store National Art and Interiors, he always spoke well of her.
always with respect.
Anne Clark Dahle
December 16, 2017
My mother saved her butter and egg money and hired Mrs. Vallas to plan drapes and upholstery fabric for our living room down 401 in Varina.
Ted Anastopoulo
December 16, 2017
She was a woman ahead of her time.
Diann Freeman
December 15, 2017
The family of the late Bertha Walker extend our condolences to the family.
Anna Ball Hodge
December 15, 2017
Incredible life, wish I had known her.
Turi and Linwood Watson
December 15, 2017
Our deepest sympathies on the loss of your mother, Ted. What an amazing life she led! And what a legacy she leaves behind in you and your extended family.
December 15, 2017
Remembering your strength, business guidance and most of all special friendship. Singing a special hymn for you. Yolanda Hall
December 15, 2017
Hedy Vurnakes Thevaos
December 15, 2017
The theologian William Barclay once said, When I die, I should like to slip out of the room without fuss for what matters is not what I am leaving, but where I am going. Thea Pota knew what mattered in life, and she has left us to remember what matters after her death.
Alyson Witt
December 15, 2017
May your beautiful memory be eternal. Your light and love will continue to bring joy for generations to come.
Catherine Pappas Batten
December 15, 2017
Such a lovely lady, was a close friend to my parents, Harry and Mary Pappas. Was so grateful that we as childrens were apart of long life. Was always glad to see her at various Greek functions. God bless you Mrs. Vallis in his love and care. You will be dearly missed.
Catherine Pappas Batten, Wilson NC
Dikran kabbendjian
December 15, 2017
May you rest in peace, dear Pota Vallas. Our thoughts are with your family and friends. Your life is to be celebrated and your smile and kind words never forgotten, and may your memory be eternal.
Deirdre and James Guthrie
December 15, 2017
Eternal rest grant onto her and let perpetual light shine upon her may she rest in heavenly peace Amen ❤
Deirdre Guthrie
December 15, 2017
All I have to do is look inside my heart as that is were you will always be Caring for you my love was like taking care of my own grandmother the life stories the memories we shared when I would dance for you to your old time favorites when you would have me climb into bed beside you and we would lay and talk until the early hours I could write a book on our years months days and nights together Thinking of were you are now gives me peace knowing you are in your Lord's arms feeling a love like no other no more earthly pain my love just gardens of splendor for you to till and mansions of gold to decorate with your expertise you obtained many crowns by your deeds here on Earth Our Lord has received a Worthy servent who will keep heaven on it's toes you will always be in my heart thoughts and prayers ❤
Angela Vurnakes
December 14, 2017
ANGELA VURNAKES
December 14, 2017
Your light will shine in all of us forever. Well done, good and faithful servant
Stephanie Catafygiotu Farrell
December 14, 2017
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Vallas family. Mrs. Vallas, what a remarkable woman who lived a long and beautiful life, touching everyone around her. My family has been friends with Mrs. Vallas for over 60 years and she has greatly impacted each one of us. She was a living example of how to live and how to love. Her Christian spirit was calming, encouraging, and inspirational. I always enjoyed my many visits with her over the years and no matter how old she was, she always remembered everyone's name and asked individually how they were doing. I loved hearing her many interesting stories, her great words of wisdom and I learned so much about life from her. She was a wonderful teacher and a good listener. She always made me feel special, and I loved that she called me her "little butterfly." I am blessed and honored to have known her. She will be greatly missed, but her many memories will live on forever. What a life and what a legacy.
Janet Grady
December 14, 2017
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in Peace. Amen.
We send our love and support to Roxanne, Steve, Ted and Dot, and to all the grand children. She was so lucky to have such a loving family surrounding her throughout her entire life! The Alpha and The Omega.
xxxoo Janet and Bruno
Sharon Shaw-Adams
December 14, 2017
So sorry for your loss! Prayers for you and the family!! Love y'all.
Steve and Suzanne Ross
December 14, 2017
Our sadness is overwhelmed by her incredible and awe inspiring life. We should all celebrate and remember her strong determination, her faith, and the way she lived her life.
Louise McLarry
December 14, 2017
My heartfelt sympathy to the entire family! Mrs. Vallas was truly an icon in our Greek and American communities, and she was an inspiration to many! She will truly be missed as she was one of a kind!
Florence Matinos Baird
December 14, 2017
I was truly saddened to learn about Mrs. Vallas' passing and extend my sincere and heartfelt sympathy to her family. I have known Mrs. Vallas my entire life and had tremendous respect, admiration and love for her. She always greeted me with a smile and a kind word, and I so enjoyed her company. I have many special memories of her spanning more than seven decades, and I will miss her. May her memory be eternal.