Helen Gribizis

SCARBOROUGH – Helen Gribizis died peacefully on Jan. 17, 2020.

Helen was born on Nov. 11, 1929 in Pawtucket, R.I. The family moved to Maine in 1932. Helen graduated from Deering High School. She went on to graduate from Westbrook Junior College in Portland.

She was a lifelong member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Portland. She was active in church affairs including the choir, teaching Sunday school, the Daughters of Penelope, the Philoptochos Society, and the annual Greek Heritage Food Festival.

She went to work soon after graduating from Westbrook Junior College initially in the family real estate business. Later she worked at Boston Mutual Insurance and ended her work career on the staff of the Bankruptcy Court where she served for almost 20 years. She also served as a translator for the FBI and Immigration offices in Portland. She was an assistant refugee program coordinator helping many immigrants from Greece and Albania become U.S. citizens. She provided language support, transportation, and helped find living accommodations and employment for her many foreign charges. We will miss her smile and boundless energy.

She is survived by her brother, sister-in-law and niece, William, Rudina and Sophia Gribizis; and many cousins and their families.

She was predeceased by her sister, Mary; and her parents, Pericles and Magdeline.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant Street, Portland. Burial will be in Forest City Cemetery, South Portland.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes for further information and to sign Helen’s guestbook.

In lieu of flowers, Helen asks donations be made to her church or to the

Animal Refuge League

P.O. Box 336

Westbrook, ME 04098