It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and sister, Stavroula Papanikolopoulos (Giannoulakis) on May 23, 2022 at the age of 84 surrounded by her family.
Predeceased by her husband of 38 years, Ioannis (John) Papanikolopoulos, she leaves behind her daughters, Ourania (Nia) Papanikolopoulos (son-in-law, Nick Siozios) and Panagiota (Betty) Papanikolopoulos (son-in-law, Frank Karabatsos), her grandchildren, Golfo Siozios, Stavroula Siozios, Ioanna Karabatsos and Yiannis Karabatsos, her sister Maria Iordanidis (the late Cornelius), her brother Athanasios Giannoulakis (Despina), her sister-in-law Evangelia Giannoulakis (the late Stefanos), nieces, nephews, cousins and friends in Canada, Greece and the United States.

Stavroula was born in the Peloponnesian town of Analipsi, Messinis, Messinias Greece where she met and married her husband John. In 1962 they embarked on a journey to immigrate to Canada where they would go on to start a new life and a family with the hopes of one day returning to their treasured Greece. The rest as they say is history, as Montreal remained their forever home away from home. Stavroula was a devoted wife, nurturing mother, and loving grandmother that spent quality time with her four grandchildren, offering guidance, wisdom and sharing endless stories about Greek culture and traditions as well as spoiling us with her exceptional culinary skills. She was an independent and cultured woman, always at the forefront of current events and world news. Her love of books enabled her to gain a plethora of knowledge and continuously evolve. She was an avid gardener and her summers were filled with countless hours of attending to her much-loved vegetable and flower gardens. Known for her entrepreneurial mindset, sharp debating skills and witty sense of humour, she had the confidence and ability to tackle and rise to every occasion. More importantly, Stavroula was a devoted Christian volunteering countless hours to the Ladies Philoptochos Benevolent Society of Saint Nicholas Church. Routed in her Greek Orthodox faith, she asked that we do not mourn her passing as she has gone to an eternal place where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” – Revelation 21:4. Respecting her wishes, we celebrate the fulfilling life that she was blessed to have and the wonderful memories created with the love and support of her family and friends.

We would like to thank the Sacre Coeur Cardiology Medical Team for offering her the best possible healthcare throughout the many years under their care and the First Responders that tirelessly attended to her needs on the day of her passing.

If you wish to make a donation in Stavroula’s memory, kindly consider her beloved charity, Ladies Philoptochos of Saint Nicholas Church Laval, 3780 Chemin du Souvenir, Laval QC, H7V 1Y3.

Our cherished Mother, Yiayia , Sister, Cousin, Aunt, Friend and Confidante leaves behind a legacy that we will never forget. She will remain forever in our thoughts, in our hearts and in our prayers. Kalo Paradiso.

“But you unlike the summer will not fade,
Nor lose the love your face and soul defines;
Not even death will make your life degrade
Because your memory’s captured in these lines.
So long as people breathe or eyes review,
These words live on, reminding them of you.”
- Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare