[ad_1]
Irene “Rena” Protopsaltis
25 October 2021
Hayward, California resident
Irene ‘Rena’ Protopsaltis, 84 from Hayward, CA, fell asleep in the Lord surrounded by her family on October 25, 2021. A devoted mother, wife and grandmother, she is survived by her husband 57 year old magnet, Demetrios Protopsaltis, daughters Elpiniki (Protopsaltis) Brogger, Evangelina Lilika (Protopsaltis) Stratigos, and her husband, John, her son Elias Protopsaltis, grandchildren Adam Angelas, Dimitri Angelas, Eleni Stratigos, Alexander Angelas, Demetrios Stratigos , Pro Sumstad, Renna Protopsaltis and Olen Protopsaltis. She is also survived by her brother, Panayiotis Valsamis, her sisters Sotiroula Karandeinos, Vasiliki Valsamis, Angeliki Valsamis, all of Athens, Greece, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family, in the United States and Greece. .
His grandson Theodore Stratigos joined our Lord on February 8, 2021 at the age of 26. We are comforted to know that Theodore (“gift of God”) was waiting to welcome his “Yiayia” with open arms. Nothing can express the depth of our sadness or how our family has been shattered by the loss of these two remarkable and beautiful souls this year. Irene was also predeceased in her earthly life by her loving parents, Reverend Athanasios Valsamis and Presvytera Evangelia Valsamis, brothers Antonis Valsamis, George Valsamis and Apostolos Valsamis.
Yiayia, as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren, was not only the lighthouse in the storm, the safe place to land, but also the engine that animated our family as well as the family real estate business. Irene also had a successful career in bookkeeping and accounting, earning two AA degrees in commerce and accounting from Chabot College, while raising her young family. And it was after her retirement that Irene decided to go back to school, fulfilling her lifelong dream, and obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from California State University East Bay at the remarkable age of 70. years.
Family and friends were always present in her house where the beautiful aroma of Yiayia’s cooking filled your senses and soul. She had a sixth sense when it came to her children and grandchildren and somehow always knew what we needed… always ready with her wisdom and wise guidance to guide us.
Irene, who emigrated from Halkida, Greece, then near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, before settling permanently in California, was a pillar of the Greek Orthodox Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, in California, for the past 50 years, where she served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Philoptochos (“Friend of the Poor”) Society, taught Sunday School and Greek School, and volunteered without fail. during the annual Greek festivals. In recent years, Irene and her beloved husband Demetrios have run the ‘kaffenio’ (cafe) of festivals where she greeted everyone with a smile, while Demetrios read guests their fortune in the coffee cups – a treat. additional.
Eternal memory Rena, Mum and Yiayia – you will be in our hearts forever.
Details of the services:
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Greek Orthodox Ascension Cathedral
4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, California 94602
Trisagion service: 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 4, 2021
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
2219 Orchard Street North
Fresno, CA 93703
Funeral service: 12:00 p.m.
Interment immediately after – Fresno Memorial Gardens
25 October 2021
Hayward, California resident
Irene ‘Rena’ Protopsaltis, 84 from Hayward, CA, fell asleep in the Lord surrounded by her family on October 25, 2021. A devoted mother, wife and grandmother, she is survived by her husband 57 year old magnet, Demetrios Protopsaltis, daughters Elpiniki (Protopsaltis) Brogger, Evangelina Lilika (Protopsaltis) Stratigos, and her husband, John, her son Elias Protopsaltis, grandchildren Adam Angelas, Dimitri Angelas, Eleni Stratigos, Alexander Angelas, Demetrios Stratigos , Pro Sumstad, Renna Protopsaltis and Olen Protopsaltis. She is also survived by her brother, Panayiotis Valsamis, her sisters Sotiroula Karandeinos, Vasiliki Valsamis, Angeliki Valsamis, all of Athens, Greece, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family, in the United States and Greece. .
His grandson Theodore Stratigos joined our Lord on February 8, 2021 at the age of 26. We are comforted to know that Theodore (“gift of God”) was waiting to welcome his “Yiayia” with open arms. Nothing can express the depth of our sadness or how our family has been shattered by the loss of these two remarkable and beautiful souls this year. Irene was also predeceased in her earthly life by her loving parents, Reverend Athanasios Valsamis and Presvytera Evangelia Valsamis, brothers Antonis Valsamis, George Valsamis and Apostolos Valsamis.
Yiayia, as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren, was not only the lighthouse in the storm, the safe place to land, but also the engine that animated our family as well as the family real estate business. Irene also had a successful career in bookkeeping and accounting, earning two AA degrees in commerce and accounting from Chabot College, while raising her young family. And it was after her retirement that Irene decided to go back to school, fulfilling her lifelong dream, and obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from California State University East Bay at the remarkable age of 70. years.
Family and friends were always present in her house where the beautiful aroma of Yiayia’s cooking filled your senses and soul. She had a sixth sense when it came to her children and grandchildren and somehow always knew what we needed… always ready with her wisdom and wise guidance to guide us.
Irene, who emigrated from Halkida, Greece, then near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, before settling permanently in California, was a pillar of the Greek Orthodox Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, in California, for the past 50 years, where she served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Philoptochos (“Friend of the Poor”) Society, taught Sunday School and Greek School, and volunteered without fail. during the annual Greek festivals. In recent years, Irene and her beloved husband Demetrios have run the ‘kaffenio’ (cafe) of festivals where she greeted everyone with a smile, while Demetrios read guests their fortune in the coffee cups – a treat. additional.
Eternal memory Rena, Mum and Yiayia – you will be in our hearts forever.
Details of the services:
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Greek Orthodox Ascension Cathedral
4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, California 94602
Trisagion service: 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 4, 2021
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
2219 Orchard Street North
Fresno, CA 93703
Funeral service: 12:00 p.m.
Interment immediately after – Fresno Memorial Gardens
Published by East Bay Times on November 4, 2021.
[ad_2]
