Mary A. Sarris

Albany- Mary A. Sarris.

Thank you Lord it has been a wonderful life. I married my soul mate Thomas K. Sarris, whom you took in 1997 but now we are "Together Forever". You gave us 48 wonderful years together and blessed us with three children, Charles Sarris, Theodora (Frank) Rantzaklis and Steve Sarris whom you took in 1990. Like any parent who loses a child I struggled and never understood why. You further blessed me with the joys of my life, my grandchildren, Maria (E.C.) Stumpf, Thanasi (Beth) Sarris, Vageli (Alexandra) Rantzaklis and Thomas Rantzaklis, as well as my great grandchildren Kosta and Xavier Sarris.

You gave me life in Manchester, New Hampshire, the daughter of Evangelos and Olga Antonopoulos. With the depression hitting America hard, my father moved the family back to Valtesiniko, Greece only to find life more difficult in the village. Being an American citizen I was sent back to America to arrange passage for the family to return. Unfortunately, immigration told me I was too young to sponsor my family and then war broke out in 1939. I was stranded here while my parents, my sister Eleftheria (John) Googas and my brothers John (Sydney) Anton, Arthur (Pauline) Anton and Ted (Valerie) Anton remained in the village. My mother's sister Eugenia Melas opened her home and her heart to me and I lived with her family in Albany. Her children Dr. Michael, Alex, Christine (Marcklinger), Angie (Koutelis) and Irene (Glinos) were brothers and sisters to me. I heard nothing from my family in Greece until 1945 when I received a letter that my mother had passed away in 1942.

Tom and I owned and operated the City Lunch in Troy in the 1950's and thereafter I worked at NYS Comptroller's office and the Rensselaer County Department of Social Services until my retirement in 1988.

Hugs and kisses to all my nieces and nephews, each one of you never missed the opportunity to hug and kiss me.

Thank you to Dr. Anthony Cagino, Dr. Theodore Zeltner, Dr. Louis Papandrea, and Dr. Maria Kansas. You all took such good care of me that I had many healthy years.

My church was the center of my life, first at St. Basil's Greek Orthodox Church in Troy and then St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church in Albany. I enjoyed the good times and great friends at the Philoptochos Society and the Seniors Group at my Church. Thank you Fr. Patric Legato for all the visits you made, you gave me peace and comfort.
You took me home on March 29, 2018. Thank you Lord.

Flowers are nice, but if you wish to remember me, please send memorial donations to St. Sophia's Greek Church, 440 Whitehall Road, Albany, 12208.

A calling hour will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at 10am at St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church, with a service to follow at 11am. Burial will be held at Graceland Cemetery.