Voula Caparell

1933 - 2018

Voula Vivian' Caparell April 20, 1933 - July 26, 2018 SAN DIEGO Voula Gelastopoulos was born in Hrani, Katerini Greece. She passed away peacefully from natural causes. Born to Anastasios and Eleni Gelastopoulos she was one of six children on the family farm. Voula worked on the family farm but yearned for the American dream and vowed to immigrate to America. Voula enrolled in cosmetology school in Paris, France where she excelled and graduated. Upon graduation she contacted her aunt in Chicago who assisted her by sponsoring her visa application to come to America. This was a dream come true and where she met her husband and father of her children George Caparell (deceased 1969). Voula had three children with her husband, sons Spiro, Sam and John Caparell. Spiro tragically died shortly after birth in 1964. On or about December 1969 tragedy once again struck the Caparell household. Her husband George, after a valiant fight, passed away from pulmonary and thoracic cancer. During these dark days Voula sought comfort and solace with her faith in God and her church because without those two things in her life she said she might not have made it. Alone and with no blood relatives or family other than her two boys, Voula again reached out to the only distant relative she had, an aunt in San Diego. Her aunt Despina urged her to move to California to seek out a new beginning. Aunt Despina was a role model for Voula as she would later follow in her footsteps in helping people. In the summer of 1969 Voula took a chance and moved to San Diego a place she would call her home for the rest of her life. Upon arrival she worked and partnered with her aunt Despina in the Shaw Hotel located in what is now known as the Federal Courthouse. After several years of working in the hotel business with the help of realtor Laki Vasilliadis she purchased her first of many real estate holdings. The purchase was an eight-unit apartment complex on Second Avenue which would become her home base and the foundation for bringing her family to the United States. Voula, as a newly naturalized citizen immediately brought her parents to the U.S. to help her with raising her two boys. Once her parents became established in San Diego, Voula once again sponsored and petitioned her brother Georgios Gelastopoulos and his wife and children into the United States from Germany. This family bond would be her "legacy" in America. This legacy was to help everyone in her family fulfill "The American Dream" which she believed was the land of opportunity and hope for those willing to invest hard work to live the dream. Voula's drive and motto was if you work hard in this country you can be whatever you want to be and never fear work or self sacrifice. Voula fulfilled her vows and pledged many an affidavit of support financially and emotionally . She went on to sponsor and brought over numerous other family members including her brothers John, Gus and sister Parthena Gelastopoulos, who all led their children and families to success in America. Voula also sponsored cousins and distant relatives in order to give them the American dream of education and ultimately success in whatever field they sought out.Voula endured all the obstacles of being a widow, immigrant and business woman. In a land where she barely spoke English she never lost her drive or her determination. When she arrived in the United States she had only a third grade Greek education. However, she believed education and determination was the key to success. She enrolled herself and family members in English classes and after a hard day's work she would attend classes at night to learn English. In 1976 she embarked on a large real estate purchase with her brother George and they purchased the Reiss Hotel. The partnership lasted for a short time, she purchased his share to then become the sole owner of the Reiss Hotel. It was a very difficult business and she relied heavily on her two sons Sam and John to grow up fast and help in the day to day operations of the business. Voula was an amazing cook and business woman. She operated as an inn keeper by day and mother/chef at night. Though poor financially, the family never went hungry or missed a meal. Her next purchase was the Pine Hotel which she renovated extensively. She later acquired the Sands Cocktail Lounge and demolished it to make a parking lot. Once this project was complete she purchased the adjacent Brunswick Hotel, amassing the largest affordable hotel holdings in Downtown San Diego by a woman. Voula along with her two sons Sam and John lived and worked on the properties for decades. During this time Voula never lost sight of her vow to help her family and sponsored additional family members and friends to begin their dreams in America. Countless names which include but not limited to Despina, Alex, John G., Tassos, Vasili, Lefteri and Andreas V. and many more all successful immigrants who received their start from a five foot Greek woman from a village in Greece. Her favorite pastimes included Greek folk dancing, music, cooking and her Greek Orthodox faith. She also made it her mission to feed the homeless every Thanksgiving for over twenty five years. Cooking and feeding anyone that needed it including guests of the hotel or off the street. Voula said "if you can get a person on their feet they can work miracles if they just get a chance". Voula loved and attended her church St. Spyridon and her only respite was church on Sunday's followed by a nice meal...her philosophy was to nourish the soul and the body one day out of the week...a person must rest.Voula leaves behind her grand children from Sam Caparell, Nina, Alexandria, Nico, Athena, from John Caparell, Andrew, Michaela, John Michael, Elias Caparell. She also had two great-grandchildren from Nina Caparell, Ariana and Alessia. Once she retired in 2008, her grandchildren where her greatest joy in life. The spark in her soul burned the brightest when she would hear the voices of her grandchildren...they love and miss their Yia Yia. This is her "legacy" her family and the people who she helped along the way in life. Her footnote in life would be "we are all God's children." She was the bravest person I have ever met in my life may her memory and life be everlasting.Viewing is at Atzlan Mortuary located at 7856 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa CA. 91942. Thursday August 2, 2018. Time 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Prayer at 7:00 p.m. El Camino Cemetery, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA. 92121.