Katina "Lila" Gatzolis

1924 - 2022

Beloved Wife, Mother and Yiayia passed away on April 14, 2022 at the age of 98. Katina was born in the village of Kapsia, Greece to Evangelia and Demosthenes Stavropoulos. She was one of five siblings. She had a very happy childhood, and had many great memories of good times amidst some very trying times due to the wars and occupation of Greece.
At the age of 21, she was at a Glendi (festival) at her village when a man picked her out of a crowd of young girls who were dancing. He asked about her and later her brother was approached about her hand in marriage. Her brother Miltiadis arranged the marriage to this man, Nikolaos Gatzolis. Three days after the arrangement was made, Katina was married to a complete stranger. In those times, the bride and groom moved in with the grooms parents. Nik and Katina lived in Ayios Vasilios with his parents. They were farmers, as was Nik. Katina was thrown right in and her job was to cook for the 30 workers on the farm. She would wake up at 3am to make bread in a outdoor oven, and then cook the meals for the workers for the day.
After 10 years, and four Children, Nik decided he wanted more for his family. He wrote to his uncle in San Diego and asked him to sponsor him to come to America. He was granted the sponsorship and left Greece in 1955. Katina and the kids were to follow within months. Unfortunately, the immigration from Greece to America was closed and Katina was to remain in Greece with her four children, living with her in-laws, until July 1958.
Finally arriving in San Diego, Katina set up home at a rental house, but within a year they purchased their first home.
They both worked hard and saved, and soon after, they, together with Nik's cousin bought a restaurant, and Nik and his cousin went into business. After retiring the business many years later, they managed their real estate holdings as a final career.
Katina loved her family. Her children, Maria Moody (husband Ed), Nota McInnes (husband Rae) Pete Gatzolis (wife Joni) and Angie Hyatt (husband Tom) were her life. She adored her grandkids, Niko Argeres, Peter St. John (wife Michelle), Kathrin Fairman (husband Travis), Sabrina Rivers (husband Anthony), Tonya and Ashley Hyatt (husband Brandon Weis). Her heart was full of love for her great-grandkids too - Katina (Katie), Sophia, Jamie, Cameron, Rylie, Makayla, Niko, Carlos, Celeste, Aiyana, Kelley Fay, Brett, Clint and Ila. She was the perfect Yiayia!
Katina made friends wherever she went. She had many good friends in San Diego, but she also had made many good friends in Fresno while visiting her daughter Angie.
She and Nik traveled to Greece regularly. After Nik's death, Katina continued to travel to Greece. She also spent time in England visiting Nota and Rae.
At the age of 89, she decided she did not want to live alone any longer. Maria and Ed invited her to live with them, where she stayed until her passing.
She will always be remembered for her fabulous Greek cookies. She loved to bake and would bake for her family and friends, and even her doctors.
Her faith was foremost in her life from an early age. She loved her church. Father Andrew of St. Spryridon was always there for her during the difficult times, and in her later years, after residing with Maria and Ed in El Cajon, Father Simeon of St. Gregory of Nyssa was also there for her.
Katina was predeceased by her parents, Evangelia and Demosthenes Stavropoulos, her sisters, Sophia Kanakaris and Eleni Konstantopoulos, her brother Miltiadis Stavropoulos, as well as her husband Nik, son Pete, daughter-in-law Joni, and son-in-law Rae McInnes.
She will always be in our hearts, as she would always say to us…We are all, Always in her heart.