Mary Katsaros

MARSTONS MILLS — Mary Katsaros, of Marstons Mills, died peacefully in her sleep on Feb. 13, 2009, one month after her 92nd birthday.

She was the wife of the late Gus Katsaros. In 1946, Mary (Damascus) of Boston married Gus Katsaros of New York City after meeting during World War II while Gus was stationed at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod.

The oldest of three siblings growing up during the Depression, Mary learned the value of hard work. She worked well in to her 70s, first as a bookkeeper for Manny Maxwell & Moore and Hooker Chemical, and later as a retail saleswoman for Macy's.

She spent much of her life on Long Island, away from her beloved New England, where she and Gus were an active part of the founding community of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hempstead, N.Y., and where she served as a Sunday school teacher for 20 years.

A longtime advocate for her Greek-American heritage, she adopted several causes promoting the values of Hellenic culture. She was a member of both St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Centerville and St. Michael Orthodox Church in Cotuit.

Mary is survived by two sons, Arthur Katsaros and his wife Denise of Center Valley, Pa., and John Katsaros and his wife Robin of Los Altos, Calif.; five grandchildren, Dean, Patricia, Beth, Christopher and Matthew; two great-grandchildren, Thomas and Carmen; and a sister, Helen Nichols of Boardman, Ohio. She was predeceased by a brother, John Damascus.

Calling hours begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 110 Cathedral Ave., Hempstead, N.Y., followed by a funeral service at noon. Burial is at Pine Lawn Cemetery, Farmingdale, N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to St. Michaels the Archangel Antiochian Orthodox Church, 62 Main St., Cotuit, MA 02635.