Stavroula "Roula" Sperelakis

Stavroula "Roula" Sperelakis
Stavroula Sperelakis, 87, passed away peacefully, on September 24, 2025, with family by her side at Lightways Hospice in Joliet, IL. She was born March 15, 1938, in Kolymbari, Crete, Greece, the daughter of the late Stavros and Andonia Vezirakis.
Roula met and married the love of her life, Peter, in Kolymbari, a small fishing village, on the island of Crete, Greece. Her sister Aristea used her matchmaking skills to facilitate their union. After being married in a Monastery in Kolymbari, Peter and Roula settled in Joliet, and celebrated 63 years of marriage, four children and seven grandchildren.
Peter and Roula were adventurous and well-travelled, having visited all 50 US states and several European countries, including Greece (several times), Poland (where their son, Steve and his family had resided), the Netherlands, Paris, as well as the former homes of Mozart and Beethoven in Austria.
Some of Roula's earliest memories were of WWII, and as a little girl, the basement of her childhood home was occupied and used as a food and supply storage depot for the invading Nazi army. As a young girl, she remembered sneaking into the storage room to pilfer chocolate bars and other forbidden goodies!
Stavroula never forgot her roots, but was also a very proud American, eagerly learning the language and customs, and proudly obtained her US citizenship.
Roula and her late husband Peter, built a successful tax accounting practice in the Joliet area, where they prepared and filed over 600 individual annual tax returns, in addition to tax preparation for many local businesses. As the office administrator, Roula was an integral part of the accounting firm.
Peter and Roula were life members of the All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Joliet, IL, where Roula served as long-time Treasurer and Board member of the 'Daughters of Penelope', a Church related philanthropic organization.
Roula was a gifted cook and baker. Her delectable Greek sweets were the first items to sell at the Church bake sale – which delighted her! She also had a passion for gardening, where she spent many joyful hours, tending to her meticulous lawn and flower garden.
Stavroula was the proud and loving Matriarch of the family and is survived by her four children, James "Jim" (and wife Sonia) of West Newbury, MA, Antoinette "Annette" (and husband Ken Caniglia) of Chicago, Steven "Steve" (and wife Ivona) of Plainfield, IL (and formerly Warsaw, Poland) and Areta "Rita" Pontikes (and husband Michael) of Park Ridge, IL, and seven grandchildren, which she adored, Andrew Caniglia, Angela Sperelakis, Gabriel Caniglia, Alexander Sperelakis, Magdalena Pontikes, Sebastian Caniglia, and Stacey Pontikes. She also leaves behind many devoted nieces, nephews; her sister, Chrisoula (of Sparta, Greece) and other loving family and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Peter; sisters, Marika, Aristea, Ellinitsa, Demetra (Bebeca), Argiro, and brother, Yianni. Sister Aristea also lived much of her life in Joliet and their tight knit families grew up close and intertwined.
Stavroula was a strong woman of decency, faith and love – and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lightways Hospice in Joliet or All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Joliet, IL
Funeral services for Stavroula "Roula" Sperelakis will be on Monday, September 29, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. from the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd (at Essington Rd), Joliet, to All Saints Greek Orthodox Church for Memorial Services at 10:00 a.m. Entombment to follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum. Visitation will be Sunday from 3:00pm. to 6:00 p.m. with Trisagion Services at 4:30 p.m. at the funeral home chapel.
For more information, please call 815-741-5500 or to leave an online condolence, visit www.fredcdames.com.