Olga Gribizis

Olga Gribizis, a matriarch of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, passed away on March 4, after dedicating her 92 years to serving others. Olga was born on January 30, 1925 in Hlomo, Albania to Spyros and Efthalia Panos. Because her father had served in the US military in World War I, Olga and her brother Alexander were born US Citizens. Yet, their American status did not protect them from the instability occurring in Epirus. When her home was taken as a headquarters for the Germans, Olga’s family and much of her village fled in fear of their lives to the mountains where they lived for over a month. After the Turks, Italians and the Germans had moved through the region, the Panos family decided to escape the Communist controlled area. At 18 years old, young Olga led her family, including her mother, aunts, younger brother Alex, and cousins, through the snowy mountains in the middle of the night into Greece. It was a dangerous journey, as those who were caught would not survive. From Greece, Olga and the Panos family embarked on a ship with other refugees to America. The family settled in Chicago, where Olga worked for her father’s candy store, Embassy Confectioners. But she wanted more: to start a business and make her own way. Despite objections from many around her, Olga was determined. She launched “Olga’s Dressmaking” and soon became the go-to designer for the elite of Chicago. Olga, so focused on success and making it in America, resisted many offers for engagement. It wasn’t until she was 30 years old and was visiting Portland, Maine that she changed her mind. Anthony (Tony) Gribizis, who worked as a shoemaker, was from a neighboring village in Epirus. He had also escaped and had just moved to America. After a brief courtship in which Tony visited Olga in Chicago, they decided to get married. And for the next 61 years Olga and Tony were inseparable. There was one downside to dressmaking: Olga developed serious asthma and was told by her doctor that she had to move. Yet asthma was a blessing in disguise. Olga decided to move her expanded family to Tucson, Arizona - where the air is dry and the mountains reminded her of Epirus. Olga, Tony, Kathy, Pammy, Yiayia and Pappou Panos all settled in the small town. They instantly embraced St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, where they would dedicate the rest of their lives. In 1969, Olga joined the local Philoptochos and Daughters of Penelope and got right to work organizing. When she couldn’t find certain cooking ingredients in local stores, she contacted out-of-state manufacturers and had them shipped in on red-eye flights. Olga and Tony would head to the airport late at night to pick up the items. On Sunday, the ladies would weigh, measure, bag and sell feta cheese and boxes of phyllo during coffee hour to make money for the church kitchen. In 1974 she and her close friends Angie Daley, Artemis Diamos, Nora Retsinas, were dubbed by the priest at the time, Fr. Paul Koutoukas, as “The 4 Lady Musketeers” while they organized the 1st Annual Bazaar. The Bazaars were a huge success and have since become known as the The Tucson Greek Festival. A few years later, Alexandra Rallis and Olga got together with the Salvation Army to discuss co-hosting a Thanksgiving meal for the needy. With the approval of the Parish Council, the event became a reality. For years, the ladies would bake hundreds of loaves of bread to hand out after the meal. Many without homes, without nearby families and those who just want to help out, still come to the Hellenic Center every year to enjoy the holiday and give thanks to God, together. Olga used her God given skills as a seamstress/tailor to make all the Maids of Athena Dance Group costumes in the 1970’s. To adorn the church, she made two beautiful lavara (the large red banners on either side of the altar) and over the years has made countless liturgical cloths and coverings. The Panos and Gribizis family with Yiayia Efthalia and Pappou Spyros, built and decorated an epitaphio kouvouklio, sacramental tables, candle and icon stands. When the banquet tables in the hall became unsightly, Olga covered them with heavy laminate material. Even recently, Olga and Tony anonymously bought new vinyl, sewed and re-covered 300 torn chair bottoms in the hall. All these things were loving donations of supplies, materials and time. Olga’s open-heart and generosity affected the Church, family members, friends and local charities. After the communist wall fell, Olga and Tony took in families who had fled Albania. They quietly housed them and paid for their schooling. Few knew of the range of Olga’s generosity. The few times Olga became upset were when her family credited or exposed her generosity and when people would bring her gifts. (She’s probably scowling at this recognition.) Olga Gribizis was an embodiment of the American dream. She worked tirelessly, saved every penny and gave back to the country and community that welcomed her so lovingly. Olga raised a tight-knit family equally committed to learning from her. She frequently told stories of the “Old Country” and of her time in Chicago. She loved to dance to music from Epirus - even in her final days she was tapping her toes. Her cooking - especially the pita - deserves a chapter in culinary history. But her devout love of the Greek Orthodox Faith is what shaped her life. Olga Gribizis was creative, open-hearted, strong-willed, courageous and above all, generous. Olga’s life embodied Christian values. Everything she did came from a place of love and helping others. Olga is survived by her husband, Anthony Gribizis, her two daughters Kathy (Harry Konst) and Pam (Gary Andros), three grandchildren, Nomiki (Konst), George (Andros) and Antonia (Andros). Olga’s spirit joins her parents and her brother, Alexander Panos, whose family joins us in our sorrow. Her generous heart and courageous spirit will be carried on through the mark she left on the generations to follow. Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:00 to 8:00 PM and a Trisagion Service at 7:00 PM in the Angel Valley Funeral Home. Funeral Service will be on Wednesday March 8, 2017 at 10:30 AM in St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Salvation Army, Fund for the Thanksgiving dinner at St. Demetrios, in honor of Olga Gribizis, 1002 N. Main Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705.