Ourania Christakos, 91, of Des Moines, passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 8, 2012, amidst her loving family, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, 1110 35th Street in Des Moines with burial to follow at Glendale Cemetery.

She was born September 12, 1920 in Andritsena, Olympia Greece. After World War II ravaged her country and her town, she and her brother emigrated to the United States to start a new and better life in 1948. She studied for and attained her U.S. citizenship and eventually settled in Des Moines and married Theodore Christakos in 1949, a wonderful man from her home town in Greece.

Ourania, or Nia as she was known to her friends and Yiayia Nia to her grandchildren, was suddenly widowed in 1960. She then dedicated the rest of her life to her family, her faith and her church. Possessing little formal education from her birthplace, she managed an apartment building and became a master seamstress. She was a warm, kind, generous and loving mother, grandmother and friend who enjoyed living a simple life bereft of a desire for worldly possessions. All who knew her, or came in contact with Ourania, loved and respected her greatly as one of God's finest creations – truly one of a kind.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, and a brother in Greece, and her beloved husband Ted. She will be greatly missed by her sons Jim of Johnston and Nick of Rockville, Maryland, her daughters-in-law Helen and Susan, her grandchildren Ted, (Jennie), Peter, Steve, Tom and Jenny, her cousin Peter Priggooris of E. Lansing, Michigan, several nephews in Greece and many wonderful friends and neighbors.

The family would like to acknowledge all of her caregivers for the last five years but most especially Kim, Crystal, Molly, Ashley, Alicia, Rebecca, and Emily for their loving dedication and quality of care.

The family would also like to thank the staff of Bishop Drumm for their patience and many kindnesses as well as the physicians and nurses at Mercy's Cardiac/Medical ICU for their compassion and expertise.

The family will receive friends from 4 – 6 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2012 at Iles Funeral Homes – Westover Chapel, 6337 Hickman Road, Des Moines where a Trisagion service will be held at 6 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Endowment Fund of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, 1110 35th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311.


ARRANGEMENTS BY ILES FUNERAL HOMES ~ WESTOVER CHAPEL.

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