Athena Velokas, 98, of Cliffside Park, passed on December 14th peacefully in her sleep. She was born in Athens in 1923, an American born overseas. She came to the United States after the Second World War, settling initially with relatives in Jamestown, New York. Athena lived for many years in Washington Heights before becoming one of the initial residents of Winston Towers almost fifty years ago. She worked as a bookkeeper for Sinclair Oil, and a major mail order firm in Manhattan, retiring finally at 77 years of age. She was a real metro New Yorker.
Athena was an award-winning seamstress. She traveled around the world with her late husband Christopher (1995). She loved animals, especially her two beloved dogs, Toto and Ella. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Spyridon Church in Washington Heights, serving as Treasurer of the Philoptochos chapter.
Athena is predeceased by her parents, Andrew and Catherine Fethes, her sister Maria Annitsakis, and her brother Michael Fethes. She is survived by her nieces, Christine Fethes-Connolly, Anita Fethes Mayo, Chryssoula Annitsakis of Athens, her nephew, Andrew Fethes, and sister-in-law Catherine Fethes. She is also survived by great-nephews, Michael, John, and Alexander, and great nieces Catherine and Stephanie, and many relatives in Greece and the United States.
Services will be held on Saturday, December 18th, 12 Noon at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Ascension, Fairview, NJ. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.