Anna Christodoulou - Obituary

nna Christodoulou (nee Piera), 98, of Oyster Bay, NY and previously of Annapolis, MD, passed away on April 12, 2020. She was born October 15, 1921, in the village of Yialousa on the Island of Cyprus, to the late Athanasis and Maroulla Piera. Anna left Cyprus for London, England in 1950 where she married John Christodoulou, also from Yialousa, and welcomed the birth of their two children, Mary (Maraiba) and Christopher. She and her family emigrated to Annapolis, MD in 1963 to join her siblings, Michael Piera and Antigone Loizou, and their families. Anna worked at the United States Naval Academy for many years as a seamstress in the tailor shop where she made many friends and took great pride in helping young midshipmen look their best. She became a beloved member of the Annapolis Greek Cypriot community, many of whom also had their origins in Yialousa. She loved hosting people in her home and sharing the beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables from her plentiful gardens as well as fruits and nuts from the many trees in her bountiful yard. She was also a wonderful cook who treated her family and friends to a wide assortment of Greek specialties, pastries and breads. She enjoyed when family and friends would visit her unannounced and enter her home or garden. She loved hosting them and made sure they left with something tasty or beautiful from her kitchen or garden. In fact, she encouraged them to stop by even when she was not home to pick flowers, vegetables or fruits from her yard. This sense of community gave her immense joy. After retiring, she made more friends at the local farmer’s market, where she and her husband, John, shared their baked goods, fig trees, flowers, fruits and vegetables with the broader community. She made still more friends over the many years she practiced yoga. Anna also cultivated a loving connection with many of the young people in the Greek community associated with Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. So much so, that in her later years she was referred to as “Yia Yia (Greek for grandmother) Anna”. While she delighted in that title and her connection to young people, it took on a whole new meaning when she welcomed her grandchildren, Matthew and Nicole, into the world. Anna was preceded in death by her husband, John; her daughter, Mary (Maraiba); her siblings, Christina, Kyriacoulla ”Koulou”, Angeliki, and Michael. She is survived by her son, Christopher and his wife Hilary of Kings Park, NY; her grandchildren, Matthew and Nicole; her sister, Antigone Loizou of Annapolis; and many nieces, nephews, family and friends in Annapolis, England, Cyprus and around the world. Due to the corona virus situation, funeral services will be private, but family and friends will be invited to a celebration of Anna’s life when conditions permit. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Saint Basil Academy for children in need (http://stbasil.goarch.org/) or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/). Condolences may be made by using the Memory Wall link on this page.