Athena Vavuras Lord

1932 - 2020

Lord, Athena Vavuras ALBANY Aptly named for the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena Vavuras Lord, age 87, died Wednesday, May 20, 2020, from complications of COVID-19 at her apartment in downtown Washington, D.C. Born in Cohoes on July 21, 1932, Athena was the sister of the late Christos A. Vavura, and the only daughter of Greek immigrants and restaurant owners, Athanasius and Aralou Vavuras. As a child and later as an adult, she always had a book in hand: one she was reading, one she was writing, one she was eager to share, or one that was overdue at the library. She graduated from Albany High School at just 16, and, while her traditional parents thought good Greek girls got married after high school, Athena secretly applied for a scholarship to Vassar College, setting off on a lifelong odyssey of learning. After graduating with a degree in creative writing, Athena won a Chamber of Commerce scholarship to live in Spain as Albany's first Community Ambassador. The catch? She had to remain in Albany for a year after her return to give community talks about her experiences. Before the year was over, she met and married Victor A. Lord, a lawyer, World War II veteran, and junior member of the Chamber of Commerce. Together, they raised four children, and fought for civil rights, political reform, public education, and environmental protections. Active in the League of Women Voters for over 50 years, Athena was engaged in the Citizens United Reform Effort (CURE), the Albany Independence Movement (AIM), and the New York State Liberal Party, as well as Planned Parenthood where she served as a board member. She was appointed by several different governors to serve on the Council of the University at Albany, the New York State Parks Commission, and the New York State Division for Human Rights. She also served on state and regional arts councils, including the Rensselaer County Council for the Arts. As her children grew older, Athena returned to creative writing, becoming an award-winning author of children's books. Beginning with a biography of Buckminster Fuller in 1978, her books included the story of a young girl working in the Lowell Mills and a series based on her and her brother's immigrant childhood growing up in Cohoes and Albany. As adjunct faculty at the University at Albany, she taught creative writing and editing and also conducted numerous workshops for students in local schools. In 2017, she was honored as Author of the Year and a "Literary Legend" by the Albany Public Library. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan honored her by proclaiming October 21, 2017, "Athena V. Lord Day." An inveterate traveler, Athena delighted her grandchildren with stories of riding a camel in Egypt, having tea with the president of Bolivia, crawling through tunnels in Vietnam, and many other tales, some of which she wrote about in travel articles for various publications. Her grandchildren particularly treasure their memories of their trip with her to Vlasti, the village her parents came from, in northern Greece. Her friends were legion and spanned all the periods of her life. Her children are particularly grateful to the many family friends, especially the members of the Bagatelle Book Club, who enriched their lives as well as hers. Predeceased by her husband, Athena is survived by her children, Sara Lord (Robert Storch) of Washington, D.C., Christopher Lord (Cynthia Ogden) of Chevy Chase, Md., Victoria Lord (Mark Eckenwiler) of Washington, D.C., and Alexandra Lord (Benjamin Apt) of Washington, D.C.; and her grandchildren, Charlotte and Hannah Storch, Nicholas and Caleb Eckenwiler, and Benjamin and Katya Ogden-Lord. She is also survived by nieces, Katherine (Matthew) Wiant of Fairfield, Conn., and Penelope Vavura of Albany; great-nieces, Sara and Eliza Wiant; great-nephew, Nicholas Wiant; as well as her beloved cousin, Katia Iacovides of Nicosia, Cyprus, and Katia's sons, Nicholas (Jim Vitagliano) Iacovides of Boston, and Tony (Maria) Iacovides of Nicosia, Cyprus. A celebration of her life will be held when it is possible to do so. The family asks that donations be made either to Planned Parenthood of the Upper Hudson River Valley Region or to Vassar College (with funds marked for a donation in the name of Athena V. Lord). Arrangements are entrusted to the Tebbutt Funeral Home of Albany. For online condolences please visit, www.sbfuneralhome.com.