Chrisoula Tzortzakis

Chrisoula Tzortzakis, 86, of Portsmouth passed away on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

She was born in the small village of Ano Viannos on the Greek island of Crete on December 25, 1938, to Aristodimos and Xanthippi Nerantzakis. Poverty and hunger were a common distress at that time among many families. From a very young age, Chrisoula had a very strong work ethic instilled in her as she worked in the fields alongside her beloved siblings: Maria, Eleni, Galati, Nikitas and Katerina.

Growing up, Chrisoula had dreams of becoming a nurse or maybe a hairdresser. Sadly, education was not a priority during those difficult times and her dreams shifted to becoming a mother and starting a family of her own.

Chrisoula married Antonios Tzortzakis from the neighboring village of Loutraki in a small and private ceremony in Germany on September 29, 1974. Shortly after, they decided to start a new life in America in hopes for a brighter future.

Chrisoula's dream of becoming a mother became a reality in 1976 when she gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, Fotinie. She was blessed with another beautiful child, her son Angelo, three years later in 1979. Chrisoula loved her children more than life and doted on them every second.

Fotinie and Angelo grew up and started families of their own. Chrisoula's biggest and most fulfilling role began. The matriarch of the entire family and the glue that kept it all together. She was the woman that her seven wonderful grandchildren called "Yia Yia." The woman who didn't believe in babysitters and decided to raise each grandchild so that their parents could work and provide for them. She was the woman who was always knitting someone a blanket, cooking for everyone and loving her grandchildren with every fiber of her being. She was love. She was comfort. She was home.

The year 2020 started the unfortunate series of traumatic events that robbed this remarkable woman of her beautiful smile and the happiness in her heart. The losses of her cherished grandsons, Kevin and Christopher as well as the loss of the love of her life, Antonios...left her broken.

Chrisoula is survived by her daughter Fotinie Bowden and her partner, Timothy Schmitt of Portsmouth; her son Angelo and his wife Heather of Portsmouth; Her Stepson, Manuel Mosig from Salzgitter, Germany; Her cherished grandchildren: Tyrell, Anthony, Crow, Kaira and Callie; Her siblings Eleni, Nikita and Katerina as well as countless nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Chrisoula was a beautiful light that touched everyone she met. May her soul finally be at peace with Kevin and Chris in her arms and her husband Antonio by her side.

Services: A time of visitation will be held from 10am - 11am with a funeral to immediately follow at 11:00 am on Friday, September 19, 2025 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 40 Andrew Jarvis Drive, Portsmouth, NH. Interment will follow in Harmony Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to assist the family with funeral associated costs: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-chrisoulas-final-journey.

For online condolences, visit: www.jvwoodfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of the J. Verne Wood Funeral Home - Buckminster Chapel.