Mrs. Helen D. (Demeris) Petrakis, a longtime resident of Haverhill and beloved wife of the late James M Petrakis, passed away peacefully at Westminster Healthcare Center in Westminster MD on March 8, 2019. She was the beloved daughter of the late Peter and Vasiliki Demeris of Haverhill. Helen attended Haverhill public schools and graduated from Haverhill High School in 1940. Helen worked for most of her life in the Haverhill shoe industry and prided herself on her abilities to flawlessly perform the detailed intricacies of French Cord fancy stitching. After the shoe industry faded, Helen continued working for several years with Wang Laboratories in Lowell after which she spent many years of relaxed retirement living at her home in Bradford. Helen was a member of the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church of Haverhill and enjoyed the Greek food festivals and social/cultural events provided by the church. She often spoke with fond memories of her trip to Egypt with her friends from the Greek church. Helen loved day trips to the beach and to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She was an avid reader and was especially fond of making weekly visits to the Haverhill Public Library. In addition, Helen was an expert at the crossword puzzles in the daily newspaper and magazines. Above all, Helen was a devoted wife, mother, and “Yiayia” to her grandchildren. She will be dearly missed.
She is survived by her loving children: William D. and his wife Debra A. Petrakis of Frederick, Maryland, James M. (Jay) and his wife Irene Q. Petrakis of Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, her brother Charles P. and wife Aristia Demeris, her grandchildren, Amy M. Petrakis, Dean M. Petrakis, and Christos A. Petrakis, and several nieces and nephews.
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