Helen Laftsidis, nee Hatzicostas, beloved mother of Sophia (Robert) Radlowski and John (Liliana) Laftsidis. Fun loving Yiayia of Emily Radlowski ( Matthew Stern) and Casey Radlowski, Lauren, Luke and Julia Laftsidis. Dearest sister of Lambrini (the late Nick)Pimenidis, the late Anastasia ( Dimitro) Sirepisios, Gregory (Helen) Hatzicostas and Evdokia Georgiades. Dear Aunt of many nieces and nephews. Long time friend of Angie Saka Reich.
The family would like to thank the staff of the Rainbow Hospice Ark for their excellent care of our mother for the last 2 weeks of her life.
Visitation Sunday, September 17,2017, 4 to 9 p.m. at Kolbus-May Funeral Home 6857 W. Higgins, Chicago. Funeral Service, 10:00 a.m. Monday, September 18, 2017 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2727 W. Winona, Chicago, IL. Interment will follow at Elmwood Cemetery.

Our beloved mother Helen Laftsidis was born in Drama, Greece on March 12, 1928. She married Stergios Laftsidis in 1952 and had two children, Sophia and John. The family immigrated to the United States in 1956 where Helen raised her children, learned English, became a U.S. citizen and got her first job as a file clerk for an insurance company. She later started working for the Chicago Public Schools as a teacher's aide and earned an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education from Truman College. She stayed with CPS until her retirement at 70 years of age. Throughout her life she loved to travel and she travelled the world either solo or with family and friends. She was the most independent woman of her generation that we know. She was also a talented seamstress, good cook, loved to dance and have a good time and had a good sense of humor. Her greatest joy were her children, Sophie and John and grandchildren, Emily, Casey, Lauren, Luke and Julia. She babysat often when they were young and took them on fun outings to their favorite restaurants.
She said herself that "I've lived a wonderful life".
Mama and Yiayia we will miss you very much.
All our love, Sophie and John
We would like to thank our family and wonderful friends who visited and stayed with us in Hospice during those long days. We truly appreciate the time you spent with us and our mom and we love you all.