Maria Lee Contos, 91, passed peacefully from this life on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and the dedicated hospice and care staff from Always Best Care and Sunrise Assisted Living in Arlington, MA.
Maria was born on July 14, 1934 in Boston, Mass, the daughter of Michael and Helen Gineris Voutas and brother to George. Maria fondly remembered growing up on Falmouth Street in Boston with friends and relations all living around her. She had special memories of learning to skate on the Charles River in winter and summer trips to Nantasket Beach by trolley and ferry. Later moving to Watertown, Maria graduated from Watertown High School in 1952 and the Katherine Gibbs College in 1954, before working at Loomis Sayles in Boston.
When Maria met her future husband Greg is hard to say as they were neighbors growing up on School Street, but it was one fateful day when Greg asked Maria if she would like to drive with him to church, and within a short period of time the two were married. Maria and Greg celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in September 2024, prior to Greg’s passing in January 2025.
Maria was the proud mother of three children, Luke (Jean) of Plymouth, MI, Mark, of Melbourne, Australia and Elena Hanley (Joe) of Belmont, MA, and was the devoted grandmother of nine grandchildren; Iliana, Christopher, Alexander, Peter, Sebastian, Leo, Amanda, Kelsey, and Gretchen.
Maria and Greg raised their family in Longmeadow, Mass prior to retiring in East Falmouth, Mass where they enjoyed gardening and welcomed family and friends for many memorable beachside get togethers. It was Maria’s greatest pleasure to plan family reunions and watch her grandkids play in the back yard and at the local beach. The family’s Christmas gatherings were legendary, with Maria in command of a busy kitchen, but always leaving enough spare time for teaching her grandkids to play Chinese checkers and gin rummy, and spotting cardinals in the back yard. Both Maria and Greg were great chefs and the holiday dinners they served were amazing delight and the warmth and hospitality was ever present.
A celebration of life service will be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WGBH (www.wgbh.org) or Visiting Nurse & Community Care at 37 Broadway #2, Arlington, MA 02476. A message of condolence may be left at Casper Funeral Services.