Helen Kohilakis

Helen Kohilakis, age 86, passed away peacefully at her home on November 11, 2020, with her sons by her side. She was born July 27, 1934, on the island of Manhattan in New York City to Margaret and George Pieri.

She graduated from Central Needle Trade High School, where she mastered her secret fashion design skills, only known to those that have seen her fabulous sketches. At a Greek dance held at the Manhattan Center in 1952, she caught the eye of a handsome young man who immigrated from the island of Crete, Greece named Steven Kohilakis, who she would go on to marry on January 17, 1954.

Helen and Steven made their home in Washington Heights and welcomed their first son, Basil, the following year. In 1958, Helen gave birth to their second son, Alexander. The family was made complete with the birth of their third son, Jon, in 1963. With no room left in the Heights for three growing boys, Helen and her family moved to Hauppauge, NY, in 1965 where she would call home for the remainder of her long, amazing life.

In addition to her being a wonderful and caring wife and mother to her husband and children, Helen, the restless person she was, decided she was going to work. She was employed as a Teaching Assistant at the Hauppauge Middle School for over 30 years until her retirement in 2001. With deep regret, she will no longer be able to donate her monthly pension check of $438 to a casino in need. But, not to worry, because her true calling on this Earth would be her legacy of service.

Helen thoroughly enjoyed her active participation in many organizations and was a born leader who was well respected in her role on every board she was called to serve. She was President of the PTA and Board of Education in the Hauppauge School District. She also served as President of the Philoptochos at St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church in Blue Point, NY. Helen was also President of the Clytie Chapter of the Daughters of Penelope and would go on to serve two terms as District Governor of the Daughters of Penelope as well. As if that wasn’t enough, Helen was President of the Erotokritos Aretousa chapter of the Pancretan Association of America on Long Island and would also go on to serve as National Third Vice President of the PAA. But, where Helen made her indelible mark is on the community of St. John’s where she served on the parish council and as parish council president for many years. Helen truly loved her church, as well as all those she would know as family from their many years together serving the community.

Helen was at her happiest when her family, especially her 8 granddaughters – who she adored greatly, were in her presence and was energized by the warmth and love of her family and friends.

Helen’s favorite hobbies included traveling, especially to her favorite place (aside from her reclining chair) – the island of Crete and Facebooking.

Helen is pre-deceased by her husband, Steven, and son, Alexander, and survived by her son, Basil (Diane) and his daughters Alethea and Roxanne, her son, Jon (Maria) and their daughters Eleni, Arianna, and Melina, and Alexander’s daughters, Alexis, Cassandra, and Eleni. Helen is also survived by her favorite person in the world, her sister, Evangeline, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws who all loved her dearly.

Visitation will be at Moloney’s Hauppauge Funeral Home, 840 Wheeler Rd., Hauppauge, NY, tel. 631-361-7500, on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The Trisagion Service will be held at 7:00 PM.

Funeral Services will be at St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church, 77 Montauk Highway, Blue Point, NY, tel. 631-363-6450, on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church, 77 Montauk Highway, Blue Point, NY, 11715, in honor of Helen Kohilakis.