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Obituary for Anna John Gazis Gouras
Anna John Gazis Gouras fell asleep in the Lord during the early morning hours of Thursday, November 10, 2016, at her home in Jackson, Mississippi. She was born on June 1, 1923, on the island of Patmos, Greece. As the island where St. John the Theologian wrote the Book of Revelation, Patmos is steeped in a profound spiritual heritage that was a central part of her upbringing. Anna’s family lived on the thoroughfare between the port and the Monastery of St. John, and her home was a frequent stop for bishops, priests, and monks, including the Blessed Amphilochios Makris, expected to be recognized as a saint in the Orthodox Church. She spent summers among the citrus groves at her family’s country home of Perdikari, in the shadow of the Cave of the Apocalypse, where her family attended church during that time. During World War II, she joined her family in refuge at the Monastery of the Prophet Elias in Jerusalem.
She met her husband, John Theologos Gouras, when he visited his family on Patmos after having served in the U.S. Army in World War II. Their meeting was arranged by both their families, as was their marriage. Soon after marrying in 1946, the two came to the United States and made their home in Jackson, where John had established the Mayflower Cafe with other family. The two were founding members of Holy Trinity - St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, where she participated in the Ladies’ Philoptochos Society and was recognized for her many years of faithful service. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1972 and was very proud of her adoptive country.
Anna was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as an accomplished homemaker. She was also an avid dog lover, and her household was rarely without a pampered pet dog. Her family and friends enjoyed not only her abundant warmth and affection, but also some of the most delicious Greek meals and desserts this side of the Atlantic. Until her last days, she had a mischievous sense of humor that she never tired of using to tease those she loved most.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Anastasia Fatouras Gazis; her husband, John Theologos Gouras; and her siblings, George John Gazis, Morphoula Fotianos (the Nun Agathoniki), Lucas John Gazis, Sourayio Patronis, and Irene Tirpa.
She is survived by her daughters, Anastasia Gouras Jones (Ken) of Jackson, Mississippi, and Jeannie Gouras Thomas (John), of Riverwoods, Illinois; grandchildren, Ian Charles Jones of Jackson, Mississippi, Anna Kathryn Jones Stewart (Cliff) of Madison, Mississippi, and AnnaMarie Thomas Mottram (David) of San Francisco, California; great-grandchildren, Virginia Anastasia Stewart and Mary Alice Stewart, of Madison, Mississippi; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family wishes to thank her caregivers, Rose Lovett, Bertie Mae Bratton, Ethel Jones, and Barbara Hollingsworth, for their loyalty and loving care.
Visitation will be at Holy Trinity - St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church on Sunday, November 13, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Monday, November 14, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The funeral will follow at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be after the funeral at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in Jackson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to the church or to the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
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