Bessie Chukas

Some lives are judged by what a person leaves in material terms, but others are measured by what they gave during their lives to her loved ones. Bessie (Vasso) was one of these women. Separated from her husband, who was in the United States during WWII and civil war which ravaged Greece following WWII, her faith and strength allowed her to raise her two daughters, Tula and Nula under the most difficult of conditions but without the bitterness which one would expect. rn rn Required to return to Greece following the birth of her daughter Tula in 1930, she returned to the United States 20 years later, witnessed the marriage of her daughters to Nick Pappas and Spiros Mantzas, who she also considered her children, raised 5 grandchildren; George, Dino, Angelo, Kiki and Steven and provided the love she possessed to her 8 great-grandchildren from whom she expected kisses when they greeted her and again when they left. From her, they all learned the importance of family, sacrifices and the strength and dignity one can carry in any situation. She will be greatly missed.rn rn Come join her family and celebrate her 99 years of life, on Wednesday from 11 am at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church, 615 Mercer St. Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, where services will be celebrated at 1 pm. Interment will be at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to the Senior Citizens’ Home for the Aged, at the church’s address. –