Eva Vanelli Papageorge

Eva Vanelli Papageorge passed away on February 19, 2017, at the age of 101. She was the widow of John Athanasios Papageorge, a businessman with partnerships in several restaurants and an interest in the Hellas Oil Company of New Orleans, Louisiana. They married in Athens in 1939, and shortly afterward came to the United States, settling first in Memphis, Tennessee, then in North Little Rock, Arkansas, their permanent home. In recent years, Mrs. Papageorge lived with family in Los Angeles, Calif. and Bethesda, Md. Mrs. Papageorge is survived by her children, Athanasios John (Tom) Papageorge of North Little Rock, Ark.; Maria P. Kouroupas (George) of Bethesda, Md.; Alexander G. Papageorge of Bethesda, Md.; and Dr. Basil N. Papageorge of Los Angeles, Calif. She is also survived by a granddaughter, Elaine Joanna Mazanec (Gregory) and a great grandson, George Himes Mazanec of Washington, D.C. Eva Papageorge is predeceased by her sisters, Eleni (Lela) Vanelli, Anna Peridis (Aris), and Aliki Panagiotopoulou (George). Mrs. Papageorge, a graduate of the American College of Greece, was fluent in three languages – English, Greek, and French. She was an accomplished painter, specializing in still life, landscapes and portraiture. She was well known and active in the North Little Rock Public School system and was honored by the PTA as a lifetime member. She was an active parishioner of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Little Rock and its ladies' philanthropic organization. Eva V. Papageorge was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor (Izmir, Turkey) in 1915, to Alexander and Maria (Nikolaidis) Vanelli. As a young man, her father lived in Paris where he studied design. He later returned to Smyrna to take up the family business – importing fabric and other goods from Europe, primarily specializing in clothing design. Populated by Greek, French and other nationalities, Smyrna was a cosmopolitan seaside city that served as a commercial and cultural center. In September 1922, the family, along with thousands, fled during a crisis. They were rescued by the French navy and resettled in Athens. There, her father resumed his clothing business and also promoted the works of Greek artist Vassilis Ithakisios, well known for his paintings of Mt. Athos and other iconic features of the Greek landscape and culture. A Trisagion prayer service will be held at the Little Rock Funeral Home on Friday, February 24, at 5:30 p.m. The funeral service will be at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Little Rock, at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, February 25. Burial will be at Rest Hills Cemetery, North Little Rock. Memorial contributions may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Little Rock, the International Orthodox Christian Charities of Baltimore, Md., or the American College of Greece in Athens. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.). Mrs. Papageorge's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.