Marika Alexander

MARIKA PSARRIANOU ALEXANDER
1913-2007

Marika Psarrianou Alexander, age 93, passed away January 9, 2007. Marika was born February 20, 1913, on the island of Skopelos in Greece. She traveled to Pensacola as a young bride in 1937. A loving and devoted wife, she stood alongside her husband, Argirios, who owned both the Pensacola Lunch Room and the Florida Grill restaurants. Though she loved her adopted country, she instilled the love of the Greek religion, language, customs and food in her children and grandchildren. Yiayia Rika, as she was known to many, was a loving mother, wonderful grandmother and proud great-grandmother to not only her own children and grandchildren, but also to their friends and members of her church community. Active in the Greek Orthodox Church, which her husband, Argirios, helped to organize in 1907 as a young man of 15, Marika served as officer and board member of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, her church's philanthropic organization.
Marika was preceded in death by her husband, Argirios Alexander; her parents, Andreas and Garifalia Psarrianou; her brothers, Iakovos and George Psarrianou; and her sister, Keratsoula Parliari.
Marika is survived by her loving daughters, Phyllis (John) Tringas and Andrea (Allan) Ford; her stepdaughter, Alexandra Kiskyra of Athens, Greece; her grandchildren, Gary (Gia) Tringas, James (Dawn) Tringas, Andrew (Nicole) Tringas and Elizabeth Ford; her four great-grandchildren, Ashley Tringas, John Andrew Tringas, Kalina Tringas and Mark Tringas; her goddaughter, Katie Kohilis of Atlanta, GA; and her special friend, Aspasia Bokas.
Active pallbearers are her three grandsons, Gary, Jim and Andy along with Nick Gomenis, Pete Gomenis, John G. Scapin, Michael Scapin, Victor Bokas, Vasile Faklis and Pete Bithos.
Honorary pallbearers are Tom Psaltis, George Bokas, Fotios Bokas, John Bokas, John Parliaris, Bill Agall, Chris Bithos, George Faklis, Gus John Silivos and Gus Paul Silivos.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 12 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Father Michael Pastrikos will be officiating, assisted by the chanters, Harry Booros and Matthew Carter. The family will receive visitors from 5-7 p.m., Thursday at Waters and Hibbert Funeral Home. The Trisagion Service will be held at 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Greek Orthodox Endowment Fund, the Ladies Philoptochos Saint Eugenia Fund, 1720 East Garden Street, Pensacola, FL 32501, or Covenant Hospice Care Center, 5041 North 12th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32504.
WATERS & HIBBERT FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements.