Joanna Katsafouros

Joanna was born in London England, to Chrysostomi and Photis from Cyprus, she was the eldest of 3 siblings; Chris (deceased) and Sotirakis youngest. She was born during the Blitz of WW2 and even with difficult circumstances she was an accomplished young woman. She was a Competition Ballroom dancer and won many medals and awards. She was an accomplished artist, she was an accomplished artist working as an illustrator for fashion magazines, she trained as a hairdresser and worked with her father to support the family.

 In her 20s she immigrated to the US, moving to NYC where she eventually met and married Arthur in 1965 at the Cathedral of St Paul’s in Hempstead NY. She had the fun opportunity to compete and win on the Price is Right where she won her wedding dress, her honeymoon cruise to Bermuda, a mink coat and other items to begin her new married life. She became a devoted mother to Pauline in 1968, and moved to Island Park in 1970. She became involved in the PTA at the Island Park school, as well as many church organizations at St. Paul’s. She became a business owner when she opened Pizza Round in Oceanside, then again in the 1980s with an ice cream parlor called The Cute Place in Island Park. During that time they met many other Greek families in the neighborhood and an idea of a new Greek church began. They all worked together tirelessly to start Panaghia of Island Park Greek Orthodox Church, first by renting the Methodist church to have services in the early mornings before the Methodist’s service, to build the community, and later holding fundraising events to eventually buy the building and the land. So many wonderful friends and amazing memories were made while in Island Park.

Pauline met and married Charles, and then Joanna and Arthur became Yiayia and Papou first in 2001 to Harry and again in 2002 to Joanna, her namesake. She devoted every ounce of herself to her grandchildren, even moving down the block from them to be closer. She went on countless vacations to Greece, and Disney with her family, suffering the rollercoasters her daughter just couldn't stomach to make Harry and Joanna happy, they were her joy until her last breath. She lived a beautiful and meaningful life. Though Alzheimer's may have stolen her memories in her final years, it could never diminish her kind spirit or her capacity to love.

In Lieu of Flowers please donate to Pauline Seremetis is fundraising for Alzheimer's Research UK