Effie Koutsulis

On Thursday, July 24, surrounded by family, Effie Koutsulis, aged 96, passed away. Effie was born in a small mountain village in Greece, and, at the age of 20, emigrated to the United States with nothing more than a determination to create a better life. She settled in Chicago, IL, where she eventually met the love of her life who would be her husband for the next 70 years. She was a woman of great personal strength, raising a family, owning a successful business, and being active in her community. Throughout her life, she always helped people in need and made sure everyone around her was taken care of. She ultimately retired to Las Vegas where she was a devout parishioner of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. She was often seen at the Greek Food Festival, preparing food for weeks in advance as well as selling tickets at the door - where everyone would experience and enjoy her zest for life and hilarious stories. Whenever someone asked her how she was doing, she would inevitably flash her infectious smile and respond with "Like a million dollars!" Through her children and grandchildren, she experienced great adventures - travelling the world and meeting wonderful people. She is survived by her husband, Sam, her daughters Diane (Todd Petersen), Elaine Laird, Vanessa, and her son, John (Eileen). She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Zoe, Sophia, Sam, Vasilissa, Alissa, and Sami, as well as two great grandchildren, Eftihia and Clara. Services for her repose will be held at St. John Greek Orthodox Church, with the viewing on Monday, August 4, at 5:30 PM, with a short service at 6, and the Trisagion at 7. The funeral will be on Tuesday, August 5, at 11 AM. May her memory be eternal.