RITA PAPOUTSAS POULOS
10/10/1930 - 11/10/2022
Rita (Papoutsas) Poulos passed away peacefully in her home on November 10, 2022 at the age of 92. She was born in San Angelo, Texas on October 10, 1930 to Greek immigrants Sophia Andassi and Alexander Papoutsas who had immigrated to the United States as separate individuals through Ellis Island in the 1920s. Her mother Sophia was only 8 years old at the time of her arrival in this country.
The family briefly lived in New York City when Rita was a child, then returned to San Angelo several years later.
Rita attended San Angelo High School and graduated from San Angelo Jr. College. After working as an ophthalmologist assistant for Dr. Henry Ricci in San Angelo, she moved to American General Insurance Company who transferred her to their office in Abilene, Texas. Few people were aware that early in her career, Rita was approached by the FBI and offered a job as a language interpreter and analyst in Washington DC, but she declined the offer and chose to stay with American General Insurance, eventually relocating to their Houston office. Once in Houston, she met her future husband Pete Poulos.
After a short courtship,
Pete and Rita were married in San Angelo, Texas on September 2, 1962, and then settled in Houston where they had two sons, Stasi and Chris. Through the years, Pete, Rita and the boys traveled extensively together - usually by car - to numerous interesting and exciting locations throughout the United States, and they recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
Rita was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, Godmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was a wonderful homemaker, a great cook and especially loved tending to her garden. She taught her sons to cook many types of food in her kitchen, and her recipes will live on throughout her family. She was very resourceful, teaching herself to use numerous tools to fix just about anything in the house on her own whenever possible.
Rita was a member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral parish; a member of the Cathedral choir; and was recognized for her 50 years of participation in Greek Orthodox choirs.
She was a member of the Annunciation Cathedral Ladies Philoptochos Society, serving for several years as an officer on the Philoptochos Board, and frequently participated as a volunteer in Houston’s Greek Festival.
Rita is survived by her husband, Pete A. Poulos; sons and their spouses, Stasi Poulos (Terry Gudaitis), Great Falls, VA, and Chris Poulos (Denise McLain Poulos); grandsons Nicholas and Jackson Poulos; brother Alex Papoutsas (Sylvia Warren Papoutsas), San Angelo, TX; nieces Nikkie Poulos Kyriasoglou, Eugenia Canakes Robbins (Bob Robbins), Dallas, TX, and Christina Papoutsas, Dallas, TX; Goddaughter Jennifer Marie Robinson (Kevin Robinson); and sisters-in-law Mary Poulos, Ann Poulos, Evelyn Poulos, and Martha Poulos, Atlanta, GA.
The family wishes to express their sincerest appreciation and thanks to Rita’s at-home professional caregivers Hazel Jenkins, Thelma Beckley, Pauline Colliver, Love Arikeniva, and Josette Mouton; and her doctors, Lindsay Anne Euers, MD, Bin Sing Teh, MD, and Hanh Mai, DO. Their compassionate efforts helped make it possible for Rita to remain in her familiar surroundings at home until her passing.
Visitation and funeral services will be held on Saturday November 19, 2022 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77006. Visitation will begin at 9am, followed by a funeral service at 10am. Friends are invited to join the family at the traditional Makaria meal at the S. P. Martel Hall adjacent to the Cathedral immediately following the funeral service. After the meal, a short burial service will be held at the Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery at 1pm, 12800 Westheimer Rd., Houston, Texas.
Pallbearers: Nicholas Poulos, Jackson Poulos, Nick Poulos, Frank Poulos, Demos Tsairidis, Nick Anderson, Bob Robbins, Ted Snedden
Honorary Pall Bearers: Erik Stehl, John Castleberry
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.