Elpiniki (Terpos) Yannatos passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family at the age of 92 on Saturday, November 13, 2021.  Originally born in Brockton, MA, she lived most of her life on Cape Cod.  She was always connecting with other people from all walks of life wherever she went.  Her great energy for life inspired everyone who met her.  She is a loss to the world as she touched so many people’s lives.

 

Elpiniki “Elpis” or “Nikki” was born on March 26, 1929. She was the daughter of Elias “Louis” Terpos and Helen (Issou) Terpos.  After having worked for her father at the family business of Dennis Public Market, she worked as an executive secretary for Attorney Harold Castonguay.  On May 23, 1955 she married Gerasimos Yannatos, a veteran lieutenant colonel in the Greek Royal Air Force.  Together they owned and operated Jerry’s Dairy Freeze in West Yarmouth for 24 years.  Once retired from the restaurant business, Elpiniki and Gerasimos divided their time between West Yarmouth and Corfu, Greece.  In later years after the passing of her husband, Elpiniki began traveling throughout Greece, Europe, the Holy Land, North Africa, and South America making many new friends along the way.  She also visited her parents’ hometown of Politsani numerous times.  Elpiniki was extremely active in the community of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Centerville, her family being one the founding families of the parish.  She served the community as a Sunday School teacher and Philoptochos president.  She was member of the choir, the Daughters of Penelope, and the Senior’s Ministries.  As a member of the Elaine Liatsos Memorial Prayer Shawl Ministry, she visited parishioners who were shut ins and knitted numerous comforting prayer shawls and welcoming baby blankets.  She actively followed the discussions in Fr. Timothy Curren’s Orthodox Life Series.  Outside of her parish activities, she enjoyed playing biriba, a Greek version of pinochle, and engaging in numerous handicrafts, especially delicate and intricate needlepoint.

 

Elpiniki was predeceased by her loving husband, Gerasimos Yannatos and her father Elias “Louis” Terpos, former selectman of Dennis and owner of the Dennis Public Market, her mother, Helen (Issou) Terpos, and brother, James Terpos, also owner of Dennis Public Market as well as the Chatham Public Market.

 

She leaves behind her sister, Bessie Remoundos of Hollywood, FL; her sister-in-law, Kasey (Economos) Terpos of Brockton; her children, Dionysios “Denis” Yannatos of West Yarmouth and Helen Galarneau of Boston; daughter-in-law Hariclia “Claire” Yannatos; and son-in-law Fr. Neil Galarneau.  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Elpiniki Braghirol and her husband, Kevin Braghirol, Christina Yannatos and her fiancé Andrew Seguin, Irene Galarneau, and Genevieve Galarneau.  She has numerous loving nieces, nephews, and friends both in the United States and in Greece, as well as many beloved fellow parishioners from St. George Greek Orthodox Church.

 

Friends and relatives are invited to call at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1130 Falmouth Road, Centerville on Friday, November 19, 2021 from 1-2 p.m.  A funeral service will be held immediately following at 2 p.m. The service will be live streamed using the link: https://www.stgeorge-capecod.com . In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church or St. Katherine’s Ladies Philoptochos Society. 

Nikos Makris and Hortensia Sagasti family Our theia (aunt) Elpiniki and our theios (uncle) Gerasimos have been an inspiration for us. They were a major reason we immigrated to the United States and to the Boston area in particular. They supported us significantly when we moved to Boston and have been for us a solid reminder of the life principles we learned from our parents in the old country. Denis and Eleni have been close cousins since early childhood and share this culture, which draws on the first principles of virtue we are taught in our families and the catechism. Faith, hope and, above all, charity. Aunt Elpiniki believed in and entrusted Jesus Christ fervently throughout her life, living the Christian life by praying, participating in the church of Christ and helping neighbors in need through the Filanthropos etaireia. She encountered death with serenity and full awareness as a next step. Her memory as well as uncle Gerry's are with us as an inspiration and beacon of a life with family and social values and purpose.

I was blessed to know Mrs. Yannatos since 1987 through her daughter, Presv. Helen Galarneau. Thank you to St. George GOC for livestreaming her funeral so that I could watch from Toledo, OH. I was moved by the beauty of the service and by the beauty of the remarks remembering her life. I was moved to tears by Fr. Curren's statement that may we all pray to face the end of our time in this life with the same peace and fearlessness that Elpiniki Yannatos did. May her memory be eternal from the entire Anagnos Family.

On behalf of the entire Anagnos Family we send our love and condolences to Helen and Denis and their families. We will always remember her joyous laugh and smile. May her memory be eternal.