Chrisoula (Chris) Pagoulatos, nee (Stavrianopoulos) was born in 1944 in Valyra, a small village in the Province of Messinia, Greece. She was one of six siblings and was a favorite of her maternal grandmother whom she was named after. As a child Chris lived a carefree life surrounded by family and lots of cousins.
Chris’s mother was a U.S. Citizen and in 1960 the family decided to immigrate to the U.S. for a better life. Her mom came first, then her older sister, and by January 1961 the family was reunited and lived in Washington Heights in upper Manhattan, NY.
No one in the family knew a word of English, and since Chris was not of age to work, she attended George Washington High School and received her General Diploma in 1965. She continued with her education by attending Nancy Taylor Secretarial School and graduated with a diploma in Secretarial Science in the spring of 1967.
Immediately upon graduation from the business school, Chris was employed by Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company, a company that was incorporated in 1842 and was one of the insurers of the Titanic. Chris spent her entire career, spanning 33 years, with Atlantic Mutual. She started as a secretary to a department head but soon her work ethic and organizational skills were recognized, and the promotions followed. Chris spent the last 25 years at Atlantic Mutual serving as an executive assistant to four different Chairmen of the Board.
Destiny brought Chris and Gerry Pagoulatos together. On March 24, 1973 they met for the first time at a Kefalonian dance in Manhattan. They fell in love and after a short courtship, they got married on August 26, 1973 at the Transfiguration of Christ in Corona, Queens and moved to Clifton, N.J. On February 10, 1989 Chris and Gerry were blessed with the birth of their son, Michael, which completed their family.
One of Chris’s passions was volunteerism. She was a member of the Philoptochos for more than 25 years. She participated in numerous walk-a-thons to raise funds for the JDRF, the Greek Division of the Ronald McDonald House, United Way, American Cancer Society, etc. She was president of the PTO of St. Demetrios Greek School in Union, NJ for 4 years and Assistant Treasurer of the Philoptochos. She chaired a town-wide Rummage Sale for Michael’s Millburn/Short Hills Middle School for 2 years which raised thousands of dollars for the Millburn Middle School PTO.
However, despite all the moneys raised for these charities, Chris was most proud of her volunteer work with the American Red Cross as a braille transcriptionist. Upon her retirement in 2000, Chris took a course and learned the Braille code and she was certified by the Library of Congress as a braille transcriptionist. From 2002 to 2015 Chris spent countless of hours transcribing books into braille for the New Jersey Commission of the Blind through the ARC. The books transcribed by Chris benefit not only today’s blind students to learn to read, but for generations to come. One notable book transcribed by Chris was George Orwell’s “The Animal Farm.”
Upon Gerry’s retirement in 2003, the family, looking for a warmer climate, moved to Sarasota, Fl, and immediately they became an integral part of our St. Barbara Community. Their son, Michael, started serving in the Altar, became a GOYAN and a Hellenic Dancer. Chris joined the Philoptochos and was corresponding secretary from 2009-2011. In 2008, Chris spearheaded the Philoptochos home baked Greek pastries group and for the next 8 years, she and her group baked thousands of Greek pastries, and raised thousands of dollars for the Philoptochos. At the same time, Chris chaired the Outreach Ministry, where she visited our elderly brothers and sisters at their homes, nursing or assisted living facilities, bringing them her home baked goodies and lots of cheer.
In 2011, the community recognizing Chris’s efforts, nominated her for the Archangel Michael Honors which was presented to her by Metropolitan Alexios in Atlanta on November 12, 2011. This past March 2019 the St. Barbara Ladies Philoptochos Society bestowed upon Chris the Parishioner Honoree Award for her 15 years of dedicated community outreach and philanthropy.
Chris very much appreciated your special prayers, encouraging words, good thoughts, and inspirational cards during these past three years.
Chris is survived by her beloved husband, Gerassimos, her treasured son, Michael, her sister, Argiro (Peter Nikolopoulos), her brothers, Stamatis (Stella), George, and John, and many nieces and nephews.
Family will receive guests on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 from 10 am until the funeral service at 11 am at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243. Interment to follow at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Ave., Sarasota, FL 34232.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 507 Capital Ct. NW Washington DC 20002, Ronald McDonald House, 405 E. 73rd St., New York, NY 10021 or St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, stjude.org.
May her memory be eternal.
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