Katina (Panagoulopoulos) Mouyos of Millis, MA passed peacefully on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 surrounded by her loving family.
Katina was born on January 18, 1932 in Pyrgos, Ilias Greece to the late Vasilios and Chrissi Panagoulopoulos and grew up in the depression era and during World War II. She moved to Athens as young woman to work as a seamstress and immigrated to Canada in 1955 in search of better opportunities. She met her beloved husband Constantine (Charlie) while visiting her sister in the Boston area. They married at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in 1959 and moved to Natick before settling in Millis in 1961. Katina and Charlie remained married until Charlie's passing in 1983.
Katina was an active parishioner of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and then St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church since 1973, where she made many life-long friends. She enjoyed being part of the Senior Guild (even before she was a senior), participating in the Epitaphios during Holy Week, helping at coffee hour and baking for special events. Her strong faith sustained her throughout her entire life.
Katina would often work with Charlie at the family restaurant, the Middlesex Spa in Natick in the early days of their marriage. She learned how to drive and she and her sister Sophia would take all the kids on day trips to Portland, ME to visit family, or take the streetcar in Boston to go shopping. She enjoyed family trips to Cape Cod, Canada and visiting family in Greece. After Charlie's passing she worked in the Millis school cafeteria and also as a seamstress again, using her skills and talents.
She was famous for her spanakopita which was a staple at every holiday meal. She always enjoyed getting together with family and friends, chatting on the phone with her girlfriends from church and going to the Millis Senior Center. She was an avid gardener who had maintained such a beautiful yard that passersby often stopped to compliment her. Katina could usually be found watching the birds in her backyard, playing cards, or hoping to win it big on scratch tickets. Katina always enjoyed watching her game shows each day and Wheel of Fortune was her favorite, which was also the theme for her 90th birthday party last year.
Katina was the matriarch of a big Greek family and extended family. She was a known as a tough cookie who spoke her mind, she was ahead of her time and made her way through many challenges and assimilating to a new country with limited resources using her 4th grade education and life experience to build a beautiful life for herself and her family. Katina was always there for those she loved; she was truly a remarkable woman.
Katina's greatest pride and joy was her 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She was a devoted mother of the late Fred Mouyos, Zoe Peros and her husband Arthur of Millis, MA, William Mouyos and his wife Kerry of Windham, NH and Christina Duggan and her husband Liam of Millis, MA. Cherished grandmother of William Mouyos, Karen Mouyos and husband Steve, Kerri Brooks and husband Jarred, Stacie Peros, Lee Peros and wife Jenny, Catrina Peros, Constantine Mouyos, Eleni Mouyos, James Duggan and Chloe Duggan. Great grandmother of John Brooks, Ayanna Maloney, Preston Maloney and Caroline Peros.
Survived by her brother George Panagoulopoulos and wife Anna of Brockton. She is predeceased by her sisters Maria Panagoulopoulos and Sophia Sgourakes, her sisters-in-law Stella Panagoulopoulos, Poppy Skordas, Mary Mouyos and Georgia Mannering, and her brothers-in-law George Mouyos and George Sgourakes. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and extended family.
Visiting hours will be Monday, April 3 10:00-11:00 at St. Demetrios Church, 57 Brown Street, Weston, MA, followed by the funeral at 11:00 in the church. Burial to follow at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Millis, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Katina's memory can be made to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church - www.stdemetriosweston.org