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November 2, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 10:30 – 11:30 AM on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, 51 Paramus Road, Paramus.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM in the church, following the visitation time. Interment will take place at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus followed by a repast luncheon at Biagio’s Ristorante, 299 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652.
Maria Skordos, age 82 of Wayne and formerly of Greece, died peacefully on Sunday, November 2, 2014.
Born in Andros, Greece, she was the fifth of Demetris and Laskaro Bakelas’ seven children. Maria was a very bright young girl and an honors student in elementary school. She wanted to continue her education but, when she finished sixth grade, her father needed her to work with him on the family farm.
When she was just sixteen years old, Maria met the man she would someday marry. His name was John Skordos and the two of them grew up in Andros. They married in 1960 and began their journey together as husband and wife.
Life in those early years was not easy for Maria and John. He worked on a cargo ship and would be gone sometimes for up to two years. Maria’s Uncle Leonidas lived in the United States, in Brooklyn, NY. With John gone at sea, Maria once went to visit her Uncle Leonidas. She was pregnant at the time and while she was there, she gave birth to a son which she and John named Louis. She stayed in the U.S.A. for six months before returning to Greece. Two years later, in 1966, Maria and John welcomed their second child, this time a beautiful girl and they named her Ritsa. Although he lived in Greece, Maria’s son Louis was technically a U.S. citizen. When he was seventeen, Louis had to make a choice – come live in the United States or lose his citizenship. So Louis and his father came to the U.S., settling in Hazlet, NJ. Meanwhile, Maria and Ritsa stayed back in Greece while John and Louis got established. After Ritsa finished high school, she and Maria joined Louis and John. It was now 1984 and Maria continued her life in her new home doing what she did best – being a loving and caring wife and mother and making their house a home with her wonderful homemaking skills.
Maria loved entertaining friends and family. She would often host dinners at her home and prepare numerous delicious meals and desserts. Everyone loved eating at Maria’s and her family especially loved her homemade moussaka and baklava. She also loved the holidays with Christmas being her favorite. The house was always beautifully decorated and the smell of the fresh-cut Christmas tree reminded Maria of her childhood, growing up in Greece where she cherished going out on the family farm where the family always cut their own tree. It just warmed her heart!
Maria was a highly skilled seamstress too. She embroidered and crocheted beautiful blankets, tablecloths and doilies and, if you have the opportunity to join her family for memorial visiting, you will be able to see some of these beautiful creations made with love by Maria’s skilled hands.
In 1992, Maria and John moved back to Greece because John retired and wanted to be back in his homeland. Sadly, he passed two years later in 1994 after thirty-four years of a blessed marriage with his beloved wife. Maria remained in Greece and embraced the excitement of caring for her new granddaughter Maria, while living with her son Louis and his wife Evangelia. In 1999 she returned once again to the United States, this time settling in Rochelle Park with her daughter Ritsa so that she could care for her other granddaughters, Evie and Maria while Ritsa worked her job as a pharmacist. Her grandchildren were a very special part of Maria’s life and feeding them, playing games or reading with them was all just fun times for her. She taught them Greek too! In 2006, Maria moved with Ritsa to Wayne where she’s remained ever since. She faithfully attended services at Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Paramus for a few years until she suffered a stroke in 2009.
Heartwarming memories of Maria’s selfless, kind and friendly personality and the example she set by her strong, determined view of life, will continue to inspire those who knew her and loved her.
Maria is survived by her dear son Louis and wife Evangelia of Andros, Greece; her dear daughter Ritsa and husband Michael Mckenna of Wayne; and her five adored grandchildren: Maria, Sophia, Yianni, Evie and Maria. She is also survived by her two sisters Erene and Anna as well as her two brothers Themis and Nikos. She was predeceased by her beloved husband John, and her two brothers.
Those planning an expression of sympathy Maria’s name are asked to consider the Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or at www.michaeljfox.org/
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 10:30 – 11:30 AM on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, 51 Paramus Road, Paramus.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM in the church, following the visitation time. Interment will take place at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus followed by a repast luncheon at Biagio’s Ristorante, 299 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652.
November 2, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 10:30 – 11:30 AM on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, 51 Paramus Road, Paramus.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM in the church, following the visitation time. Interment will take place at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus followed by a repast luncheon at Biagio’s Ristorante, 299 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652.
Maria Skordos, age 82 of Wayne and formerly of Greece, died peacefully on Sunday, November 2, 2014.
Born in Andros, Greece, she was the fifth of Demetris and Laskaro Bakelas’ seven children. Maria was a very bright young girl and an honors student in elementary school. She wanted to continue her education but, when she finished sixth grade, her father needed her to work with him on the family farm.
When she was just sixteen years old, Maria met the man she would someday marry. His name was John Skordos and the two of them grew up in Andros. They married in 1960 and began their journey together as husband and wife.
Life in those early years was not easy for Maria and John. He worked on a cargo ship and would be gone sometimes for up to two years. Maria’s Uncle Leonidas lived in the United States, in Brooklyn, NY. With John gone at sea, Maria once went to visit her Uncle Leonidas. She was pregnant at the time and while she was there, she gave birth to a son which she and John named Louis. She stayed in the U.S.A. for six months before returning to Greece. Two years later, in 1966, Maria and John welcomed their second child, this time a beautiful girl and they named her Ritsa. Although he lived in Greece, Maria’s son Louis was technically a U.S. citizen. When he was seventeen, Louis had to make a choice – come live in the United States or lose his citizenship. So Louis and his father came to the U.S., settling in Hazlet, NJ. Meanwhile, Maria and Ritsa stayed back in Greece while John and Louis got established. After Ritsa finished high school, she and Maria joined Louis and John. It was now 1984 and Maria continued her life in her new home doing what she did best – being a loving and caring wife and mother and making their house a home with her wonderful homemaking skills.
Maria loved entertaining friends and family. She would often host dinners at her home and prepare numerous delicious meals and desserts. Everyone loved eating at Maria’s and her family especially loved her homemade moussaka and baklava. She also loved the holidays with Christmas being her favorite. The house was always beautifully decorated and the smell of the fresh-cut Christmas tree reminded Maria of her childhood, growing up in Greece where she cherished going out on the family farm where the family always cut their own tree. It just warmed her heart!
Maria was a highly skilled seamstress too. She embroidered and crocheted beautiful blankets, tablecloths and doilies and, if you have the opportunity to join her family for memorial visiting, you will be able to see some of these beautiful creations made with love by Maria’s skilled hands.
In 1992, Maria and John moved back to Greece because John retired and wanted to be back in his homeland. Sadly, he passed two years later in 1994 after thirty-four years of a blessed marriage with his beloved wife. Maria remained in Greece and embraced the excitement of caring for her new granddaughter Maria, while living with her son Louis and his wife Evangelia. In 1999 she returned once again to the United States, this time settling in Rochelle Park with her daughter Ritsa so that she could care for her other granddaughters, Evie and Maria while Ritsa worked her job as a pharmacist. Her grandchildren were a very special part of Maria’s life and feeding them, playing games or reading with them was all just fun times for her. She taught them Greek too! In 2006, Maria moved with Ritsa to Wayne where she’s remained ever since. She faithfully attended services at Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Paramus for a few years until she suffered a stroke in 2009.
Heartwarming memories of Maria’s selfless, kind and friendly personality and the example she set by her strong, determined view of life, will continue to inspire those who knew her and loved her.
Maria is survived by her dear son Louis and wife Evangelia of Andros, Greece; her dear daughter Ritsa and husband Michael Mckenna of Wayne; and her five adored grandchildren: Maria, Sophia, Yianni, Evie and Maria. She is also survived by her two sisters Erene and Anna as well as her two brothers Themis and Nikos. She was predeceased by her beloved husband John, and her two brothers.
Those planning an expression of sympathy Maria’s name are asked to consider the Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or at www.michaeljfox.org/
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