Panagiota Karamitros

Panagiota Karamitros, 95, of 302 2nd St. NE, died Sunday (September 19, 2004) at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Thursday at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, 1311 2nd St. SW with Rev. Joseph Mirowski officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Wednesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. A Trisagion Prayer Service will be held 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Panagiota Karamitros Memorial Fund. Panagiota was born September 15, 1909 in Doliana Tripolis Greece the daughter of Simeon and Efthimea (Colettis) Karagiannis. Her family moved to Mason City in 1930 taking up residence on Lehigh row. Her family operated a bakery and grocery store for the residents of Lehigh Row. Panagiota married Sotirios Karamitros. She along with her husband co-owned the Troika Club, a well-known steak house North of Mason City. Panagiota was the original chef at the Troika. She was the first Greek immigrant woman to receive a driver?s license in Mason City. Panagiota loved the United States and everything it stood for. She was extremely proud to be a citizen of the country and made sure to vote in every election. She placed much emphasis on education and the education of her children. Following her husband?s death, she started writing poetry. She was in the process of having a book of poems published. Other interests included music, traveling and creative writing. Panagiota was a member of the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church and the Philoptohos Society of the Orthodox Church. She is survived by her 3 daughters, Angelica Bender of Murrieta, CA, Efthimea Becker of Mason City, Vasiliki ?Bess? Doerr and husband Joe of Murrieta, CA; grandchildren, Stephanie Hill of Murrieta, CA, Karen Howell and husband Dr. Scott of Murrieta, CA, Dr. Christina Bender and husband Dr. Nikos Georgiades of New Providence, NJ, Dr. John Alexander Becker of Cambridge, MA; great grandchildren, Christopher Howell of Murrieta, CA, Kathryn Howell of Murrieta, CA, Nicholas Hill of Murrieta, CA, Alexis Georgiades of New Providenec, NJ. Panagiota?s parents, 5 brothers, Costa, Chris, George, Apostoli, John; 3 sisters, Vasiliki, Sophia and Eleni preceded her in death.

Visitation:
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on September 22, 2004 (map/driving directions) 5:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on September 20, 2004 (map/driving directions)

Service:
10:30 AM at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church on September 23, 2004 (map/driving directions)