Konstantina ” Dena” Petropoulos August 19, 1927 – June 4, 2023
Services for Konstantina will take place all in one day on Wednesday June 7th at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 12307 South Ridgeland Avenue, Palos Heights Illinois 60463. Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Funeral Service will begin promptly at 10:00 AM. She will be laid to rest along with her beloved family at Evergreen Cemetery, Evergreen Park Illinois.
In lieu of flowers we ask for donations made to the Ladies Philoptochos of St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church located in Palos Heights.
For information please call or text Michael Orrico @ 815/260-0668 or orricofuneral@comcast.net
Konstantina Petropoulos (nee Parhas), 95, of Burr Ridge, Illinois, passed away on June 4, 2023, peacefully at home surrounded by family. She was born August 19, 1927 to George and Stamata Parhas in Levidi, Greece. She was a loving, strong, and kind woman known by all for her generosity. She is preceeded in death by her beloved husband Filippos and cherished son Athanasios; Beloved mother of Georgia (James Xeros); Loving Yiayia of Athanasia, Helena, and Peter Xeros; Preceded in death by her seven loving siblings the late Peter Parhas, Arthur (Eugenia) Parhas, Demetra Parhas, Pauline Athas, Evangelos Parhas, Vasili Parhas, and Ioannis Parhas; Also survived by many loved nieces and nephews here as well as Greece and Australia.
Dena was born and raised in Levidi, Greece, living through both happy and tremulous times. Her strength and resiliency throughout her life is something that many will only begin to understand. She immigrated with her husband and children to the United States from Greece and joined her siblings in Chicago. Her family was everything to her and she always put others before herself. She was a loving and devoted mother to her two children, Tom and Georgia, and worked hard as a housekeeper at Christ Hospital and sacrificed to ensure they both received a higher education. When her son was diagnosed and passed from cancer at the young age of 25, she was devastated but took that love and gave it to her grandchildren. As a Yiayia, she was an integral part of the lives of her three grandchildren, and they were devoted to her. Her grandchildren have many fond memories of playing in Yiayia’s and Poupa’s garden, imaginary adventures, and cooking old Greek recipes together. Her energy and patience with children and animals was extraordinary as, at the age of 89 years old, she could be found chasing around and playing with her nephew’s grandson and playing tug of war with the family dog. To her family, Dena instilled the values of hard work, respect for all, empathy, and generosity that have become the core foundations of who her family are. Dena’s legacy will continue to live on through her family and all of those she has touched. May her memory be eternal. In lieu of flowers we ask for donations made to the Ladies Philoptochos of St.Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church located in Palos Heights. Orrico Kourelis Funeral Services Inc. entrusted with all arrangements.