Vaseleke "Vaselekoula" Garras

Vaseleke Lagiopoulos Garras was 97 years young when she passed away peacefully in her sleep in Spokane Valley, WA where she emigrated to from Greece in April, 1953. She was proudest of being a housewife and a devoted member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church community. She was a great cook of her native cuisine along with meatloaf, steaks and hamburgers from her adopted country. She was incredibly generous to neighbors that she thought were unable to cook for themselves by giving them a plate of food. Nurturing plants, both indoor and outdoor, with an amazing green thumb was her hobby from the 1950's on. She had a beautiful personal style in clothing. Her love of animals was relaxing and deeply moving to her. As she grew older, she became much more strong willed, opinionated without a filter, funny, and loving to all people. She shined, perhaps most of all, at this time in her life.

With her husband, George, she gave so much to their church. He sold around 500 tickets a year to the Greek Festival while she cooked for days on end with other Greek immigrants and their children the huge quantity of pastries that were sold during the event; and they celebrated at all the weddings and grieved the loss of all the members of their community just to name a few.

Vaseleke is survived by her daughter Marina, of San Francisco, CA, and predeceased by her husband and their son, Bill.

Rest in peace and rise in glory, Vaselekoula!