Lola Leveris

1925-2021

Portland- Lola Leveris, 95, passed away peacefully at Seaside Nursing Facility, with her family by her side, on February 13, 2021. The daughter of Demos & Helen (Christophilou) Dadiotes, Lola was born on July 27, 1925 in Portland. She attended Portland schools and graduated from Portland High School in 1943.

Lola was a member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Portland. In 1946 at a dance at the church she met the love of her life James A. Leveris. The two married in 1946 and honeymooned in Havana Cuba, where they “danced the night away”. On their return back to Portland they started a business venture which lasted for 21 years. Lola and James owned and operated The Treat Shop Restaurant, on the corner of Middle and Temple Streets, and worked side by side for 21 years until they were bought out by the City of Portland by Urban Renewal in 1971.

Lola was a member of the Eastern Star, and was affiliated with many Hellenic organizations. The sale of the restaurant, enabled Lola to attend and represent her community, Daughters of Penelope in Athens Greece, at the AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) Convention in 1971. Lola traveled with her family in the summers for the next several years representing The Daughters of Penelope as a delegate in Atlanta Georgia, Houston Texas, Cincinnati Ohio, and Boston Massachusetts. Lola was also a member of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Guild (Philoptochos Society), a choir member, and a Sunday school teacher and an active volunteer for the Holy Trinity Church’s Greek Festival. Lola’s love of cooking and people made it easy for her to volunteer at the festival. She enjoyed attending Greek dances with her husband and friends. Lola was in the Greek play at the Portland Players in South Portland. She always welcomed newcomers to the church into her home and was full of life, loving to entertain.

She was involved in helping the homeless at the Jordan House in Portland, working with her son Dennis Leveris, they helped Albanian refugees by housing them in her apartments.

She was a big sports fan and enjoyed watching her son’s little league baseball games, hosting little league players in her home. She enjoyed football, tennis, hockey and skating. She rooted for the Red Sox and the Patriots. A highlight of her year was to travel to Florida with her daughter Elaine on mini-vacations in the wintertime. She and her husband retired and moved to Phoenix AZ but in 1978 they moved back to Portland.

Lola was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, James Leveris, her brother Chris Dadoites, and her sister Stella Crepon.

She is survived by her three children, Arthur Leveris and his wife Alice (Stevens) Leveris of Old Orchard Beach, Dennis Leveris and his wife Linda (Goldberg) Leveris of Minneapolis Minnesota and Elaine (Leveris) Fitts and her husband Jonathan Fitts of Portland; her six beautiful grandchildren, Nicole (Leveris) Clendenny, Art Leveris, John Leveris, Nick Leveris, Acacia Fitts, and Zachaios Fitts, her godchild, Maria (Glicos) Taylor of Florida, her cousins Lola and Chris Dadiotes, of Portland, and nieces and nephews, Carol Dadiotes of Scarborough, and Demos and his wife Jennifer Dadiotes of Scarborough.

Her family would like to thank Beacon Hospice, and Seaside Nursing Facility for the wonderful care and friendship they provided to Lola.

Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral on Friday, February 19, 2020 at 11:00 AM, at The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant St. Portland. A graveside service will follow at Forest City Cemetery in South Portland. Arrangements are under the care of Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home. For those unable to attend services they may view them at: https://www.facebook.com/jonesrichbarnes.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Lola's memory to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant St. Portland ME 04101.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to view Lola’s tribute page and to sign her online guestbook.