Pamela Zarifes was born in Des Moines, Iowa on March 9, 1932 to her parents Georgia Chiboukos and Zachary Zarifes. Her father died when she was two years old and left her mom all alone to raise the family. Her older siblings eventually married and moved away while she stayed with her mother. But things being what they were in those years, our Yiayia finally had to sell her lovely home in Iowa and moved with my mom to tenement apartments in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of twelve, mom had reached her height of 5'7" and wanted to help her mother who was struggling financially. Our favorite story was that she went to the beautiful Marshall Field Department Store and applied for a job, lying about her age. She got the job and was an elevator operator. Mom loved stores and shopping so it was an ideal job for her. She never lost her love for department stores, and would take her daughters to Buffums in Long Beach often! Later our Yiayia sent her to Long Beach, California to stay with her sister Angie. In January 1953, at the Epiphany celebration, our father Nickolas Edwards, spotted her across the room and knew he wanted to marry her. She went out on her first date with him while living at her sister Angie's home. After a three-week whirlwind courtship, he proposed and she accepted. They were married on April 12, 1953 in the Long Beach Assumption Church on Pacific Avenue.

Mom and dad loved their church in Long Beach and their priest, Father Nicholas Billiris. Together they worked for years on church festivals and luncheons. Mom was a member of the Daughters of Penelope and is a Past President of the Philoptochos Society in Long Beach. Mom also worked for many years in Long Beach and Lakewood serving at the ballot tables for city elections. She really enjoyed those days.

Pamela loved taking care of her house and children. She loved to entertain, bake and cook. Most Fridays when we came home from school there was a freshly baked pie or cake in the kitchen. For over 20 years she threw a big "name day party" in early December for her husband's name day, Saint Nicholas. They invited all their relatives and cousins to the house for a huge party. Mom would bake for weeks and the night of the party she would send all of "the children" to our rooms early. She would let us stay up a little while to watch television in the master bedroom and then we were supposed to go to our rooms. But the music and laughter was too much for our curiosity - and so we would sneak out of our rooms down the hall and peek around the corner into the living room. Eventually someone would spot us and we would have to run back to our rooms!

Mom was active in the PTA's at her children's schools and loved all the activities her children joined in whether it was cheerleading, drill team, school clubs or anything else. Aleck, Virginia and Carole were active in Lakewood High School. Aleck was a cheerleader, Virginia a Drill Team leader, and Carole a Bannerette Captain. Friday nights were always the 'big' football games where everyone would scream and cheer for our school and on Saturday morning not one of us had a voice left when we woke up! Our mom loved to tell us that those were her favorite Saturdays because the house was quiet and we could not talk!

In the 1970s mom was appointed to the Los Angeles Grand Jury by then Sheriff Peter Pitchess. She had fascinating stories of the tours she was given into the prisons and where some very notorious and famous criminals were housed.

In 1976 mom and dad hit the worse day of their lives when they received the news their son Aleck was killed in a car accident. Life was really never the same after that. They both struggled to understand and deal with the loss of their beloved son who was such an amazing person. All the hopes and dreams they had were gone in an instant. They were heartbroken and it took them years to heal and try to deal with their loss. It is a real testament to their strength that they were able to pull through it and go on but it was a long road for them. Their happiness 'came back' in 1982 when daughter Virginia married Brent Noyes. Mom threw herself into planning a beautiful large wedding in just six months! Pam and Nick loved their new son-in-law and now had new things to look forward to - mainly grandchildren that they were waiting for. After the grandchildren came, mom and dad started attending Saint Sophia Cathedral on Sundays so they could see the children in altar and church. The family would stay and visit afterward in coffee hour as they met all of their friends at Saint Sophia. Such great times they had at church. They always paid membership to two churches: Long Beach and Saint Sophia, right up until Dad's passing in March 2020. They never forgot their church in Long Beach.

Sundays were always our family day from the very beginning. Everyone went to church and then home for Sunday dinner. Even after we married, we continued going to mom and dad's after church for Sunday family time. Such fun days, as we would discuss church, sermons, politics, the economy and the world! All of us could talk and argue our points of view! It was such fun but mom would tell us we were yelling too much. No matter how we might have disagreed on certain topics we had a wonderful time! That tradition continued for almost 30 years until it was too hard on mom and dad.

Mom loved cooking and as the children grew up and got older, they brought their homework with them on Sundays to finish before Monday morning. If the weather was warm we would swim after church, and if it was winter 'cold' we would stay in the house watching movies, building puzzles and playing games. Graduation parties, birthdays, anniversaries and more were celebrated at their home in Lakewood. Mom and dad loved having everyone at their home. When the grandchildren were born into the family, mom and dad started changing all of our old bedrooms into 'rooms for the grandchildren'. They would do anything for them. Wonderful Christmas eves, Christmas mornings and summer days of swimming and barbecuing at their home are some of our best memories. Everyone knew them as "Yiayia" and "Baboo" - our koumbari and all of the children's friends loved them!

Our hearts are broken once again in just nine months but we know dad and Aleck have mom with them. She could not go on without dad after he passed in March. There is no suffering now for her but peace and joy being reunited with her loved ones. Those of us left behind will be the ones to miss her. Heaven gained an angel but we lost one that took care of us for so long. We will always miss her.

Our sincere thanks to Father John Bakas as well as Terry and Mary Harmon for their support, help and love during such a difficult time. Pamela is survived by her daughters Virginia (Brent) Noyes, Carole Edwards, and her grandchildren Christopher, Alexis, Matthew (Michelle) and Kellie plus great grandson Jimi. Funeral will be private due to Covid. In lieu of flowers you may make donations to the Saint Sophia Philoptochos Society in care of Saint Sophia Cathedral, at 1324 S. Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006.

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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