LOWELL – Ms. Helen “Georges” Georgacopoulos, 95, passed away Thursday December 24th at Lowell General Hospital.
She was born March 20, 1914 in Lowell, Massachusetts a daughter of the late Constantine and Marigo(Vonetes) Georgacopoulos.
A lifelong resident, well known in the Greek community for her volunteerism, musical talents and her devotion to her church.
Helen spoke often of her brother, Jimmy Mavrick and his sold out concert during the Depression, at the Lowell Auditorium, where she was the accompaniest on piano. She cherished the memories of Lenny, who was an accomplished actor, and of her beloved Spiro (Phil), who star quarterback who led the Acre Blackhawks to victory in 1939, and was to have gone on a football scholarship to West Point, but went to serve in Rimminy, earning a purple heart instead. Later, she gave piano lessons and was the first organist of Transfiguration Church, actually the sole organist for over fifty years, retiring at age 90. For this she was honored by Bishop Methodios of Boston, who, through a search of records, believed she was the longest serving organist in the Greek Orthodox Diocese of North and South America.
While her father was an accomplished musician and singer she along with her brothers, Demetrios (Jimmy), Leonidas (Lenny), inherited this talent, all taking voice lessons, violin , organ and piano.
Actually, her love of music, the Greek language, and the Greek Orthodox faith all came together at the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church the "Trans", of which her family were founders, also having first founded Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lowell.
She taught Sunday School, worked hard in the Philoptochos, serving as a distingished president, and was active in the Daughters of Penelope, a Greek American service organization, as well as the Greek Cultural Society, where she loved the singing organized by the late Prof Chris Bentas. In her early years she participated in the churches annual Greek festivals working on the many pastries, and later enjoyed being with the Trans Tuesday morning group.
Her involvement led the church to have Helen Georges Appreciation Day, she was given a symbolic key, because, once during the longs days of festival preparation, someone had come knocking on the church's door.
She adored the Lowell Folk Festival, and the music venues, often attending operas well into her 80's. But she loved to travel with her friends, to Lake George, to Halifax, and especially to her cousins in Ansonia Connecticut, which houses the proliferous Vonetes clan, and her favorite uncle, Louie Vonetes.
She is also survived her nieces, Maria Yorgakopoulou and husband Nikos Sinodinos of Amherst Mass, and Georgia Atkins and her husband Julius of Haverhill Mass; her cousins, the Vartelases, Paul, George, Gus, Peter and Aphrodite of Connecticut; by cousins Spiros Pappas and his wife Peggy of Marshfield, Mass, great nephews, Demetrius, Jeremiah, Julius, and a great niece, Stephanie, great grandniece, Bianca, and two great grandnephews, Bryce and Broderick.
She was predeceased by her brothers Lenny, Spiro, and Jimmy Mavros (Mavrick) and her sister-in-law Eugenia Serbanos Mavrick
ARRANGEMENTS - Friends will be received at the M.R.LAURIN FUNERAL HOME 295 Pawtucket St. Lowell on Wednesday from 4 to 8p.m. The funeral will take place on Thursday at 9a.m. from the Funeral Home to be followed by services at Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church at 10:00am. Interment in Westlawn Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the Transfiguration Church, Fr. Sarantos Way Lowell, Ma. 01854.