Ralitsa (Tsandarlioutis) Samardelis, 83, a longtime Haverhill resident, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 21.
Samardelis was born in Mytilene, Greece on April 10, 1935, the daughter of Elias and Despina Tsandarlioutis. Raised in Mytilene, she lived in Athens, Greece for a short time before immigrating to the United States when she was 16 and settling in Haverhill.
She was the loving wife of the late Charles D. Samardelis, with whom she shared 62 years of marriage until his passing in 2017. After their children were raised, Samardelis worked for a period of time at AT&T in North Andover. She enjoyed cruises, gardening, flowers, Greek dancing, laughing and having fun and she had a wicked sense of humor. She was a faithful woman and longtime member of Holy Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church. Her greatest joy in life was being a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all her loved ones.
Surviving family members include her cherished sons James Samardelis and wife Kalliopi of Loudon, N.H., and Charles C. Samardelis and wife Judith S. of Sykesville, Md., grandchildren Alethea Samardelis, Christina Samardelis, and Jillian Samardelis, great-granddaughter Mikayla, and other extended family members. She was the sister of the late Theodore and Frossos.
Visiting hours will be Friday, May 25 in the Driscoll Funeral Home, 309 South Main St., Haverhill from 4-7 p.m. Her funeral will begin Saturday in the funeral home at 11 a.m., with a service held at Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, 154 Winter St., Haverhill at noon. Burial will follow in Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill. Contributions may be made in her memory to the Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, 154 Winter St., Haverhill, MA 01832.