Anna Demetri Kyriacou, beloved wife of Nicholas, passed away April 8, 2019 from heart failure. She was surrounded by family and her husband of 64 years who refused to leave her side until her last breath. She was 93, but never admitted to being more than 28. Anna was born in Choirokitia, Cyprus and immigrated to the United States in 1946 where she and many of her cousins helped run their uncle's picnic grounds, ice rink, and diner in Detroit, Michigan.

She met her husband while working at the diner and in 1955 they married and chose to spend their honeymoon in Southern California. Ten years and three children later, Nick and Anna could not forget their love of sunny California and decided to move there and start their own businesses. Soon they were running a beauty shop, barbershop, and Greek market on Hollywood Boulevard and became active members of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles.

Anna's favorite memories of her childhood were going to school in her small village. Anna loved school and learning. At one time in the 1930s, she was selected among her classmates to present flowers to Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen of England) and Princess Margaret (the Queen's sister) when they were visiting famous archeological ruins near Anna's village in Cyprus.

Pursuing an education prompted her to migrate to the United States. Unfortunately, she was not able to complete formal education as she needed to support her family in Cyprus. However, she and her husband worked hard to ensure that her daughter and two sons finished college and professional school. She took particular pride in her eight grandchildren who also inherited her love of learning.

For the past 28 years Nick and Anna lived in Palm Desert joining the Saint George community. Using her legendary cooking skills, Anna was a popular volunteer at the annual Greek festival. Her many friends in the desert were happy recipients of her Greek desserts and she also enjoyed sending her children and grandchildren boxes filled to the brim with lemons from her trees, homemade koulourakia (Greek cookies), and hand-knitted scarves. She was also well known for "adopting" visiting students from Greece and Cyprus by providing them a home away from home. She always insisted that they call her "Yiayia" which means grandmother in Greek.

"Yiayia" Anna is survived by her husband Nicholas, daughter Christal and husband Michael Karnaze, son Demetrios Kyriacou and wife Georgia, son Kyriacos "Gig" Kyriacou and wife Kathleen and grandchildren Anna, Christianna and her husband Speros Mantas, Julia, Michael John, Nicholas, Kathryn, Basil and Maria. She also leaves behind her sisters Panayiota Philippou, Despina Eleftheriou and many cherished, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law.

The Trisagion (memorial) service will be held at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Friday, April 12, 2019 at 6 pm. The funeral service will begin at the same location on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at noon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to Saint Sophia Camp, 1324 S. Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006, or to Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, 74109 Larrea Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92260.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapman Funeral Homes - Terry & Mary Harmon, Funeral Directors. Toll free (855) 628-0447.

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Obituary notice for Chapman Funeral Homes. Please visit www.chapmanfuneraldirectors.com .

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