Maria "Mary" Laros

Maria "Mary" Laros
Maria Laros, 95, of late Joliet, IL, and lifelong resident of Champaign, IL, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 9, 2026, at Lightways Hospice, with her loving family by her side. She was born on March 27, 1930, in Arvanitokerasia, Arcadia, Greece.
Faith, family, and resilience in the face of crisis were central values for Mary. In her own words, "If you know me, you know my story." Adversity followed Mary from an early age, with the loss of her father and growing up in a war-torn Greece in the 1940s. From these hardships she learned the value of familial support, community, and having a strong work ethic. After immigrating to the United States, she married her husband John Laros in 1952. They shared 10 years together, but after her husband's sudden passing she was left to raise their three children alone. From that point, her work ethic preceded her. She supported her family financially, instilled in them the importance of academic success, enriched their spiritual lives, all while learning English from her children, and managing her and her family's profound grief. She would later insist that to survive the adversity of her life was "God's will."
Like the Greek tradition of koufeta, the bitterness of life was often paired with the sweet. Mary had the heart of a hostess, and her house was often full. Many summers were spent hosting her many nieces and nephews for months on end, cooking, storytelling, and creating memories that are recalled at family gatherings to this day. Her true pride and joy was her family. A seamstress by trade, she worked for Bergner's for over 20 years. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, but especially, gardening. Her flower beds, vegetable gardens, and yard always thrived. The sunshine, fresh air, hard work, and the opportunity to share her expertise invigorated her.
When asked of her resilience, Mary credited the source of her strength to her faith in God. A pillar of the Three Hierarchs Church in Champaign, IL and a cache of spiritual knowledge and tradition, she spent many years serving on the church's Ladies' Philoptochos Society. Living close to the University of Illinois, she was well known by the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) chapter there. From its inception over 40 years ago, she became a mother away from home for college students, welcoming many for breakfast after church. Mary eventually met the fruits of her spiritual labor: OCF members who were the children of students she had welcomed into her home decades before. Her character, faith, and service touched generations.
Mary is survived by her two children, Katina (Nicholas) Macris and George (Maria) Laros; daughter-in-law, Antonia Laros; and her five grandchildren, Maria Frances Macris, and Maria, Panayiota, Yianni, and Demitra Laros. She is also survived by her sister, Dimitra Peppas; sister-in-law, Panayiota Langas; her loving goddaughter, Linda Krikos; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her loving son, Louis; her parents, Christos & Christina (nee Koukos) Langas; her brother, Vasilios Langas; sister, Sotiria Apostolas; and her brothers-in-law, John Apostolas and George Peppas.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Willow Falls Senior Living Community in Crest Hill, IL and Lightways Hospice & Serious Illness Care in Joliet, IL for their kind, loving, and compassionate care.
A visitation for Maria Laros will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home 3200 Black at Essington Rd, Joliet, IL, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. with Trisagion Service at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church, 102 N. Broadway Street, Joliet, IL. Interment will follow at Elmwood Cemetery, 2905 Thatcher Avenue, River Grove, IL.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church or Lightways Hospice in Mary's name.
For more information, please call 815-741-5500 or visit her Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com, where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.
May her memory be eternal.