Stella S. (Kapassakis) Tsismenakis

Stella S. (Kapassakis) Tsismenakis of East Marion and Brooklyn, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. She was 87 years old.

Stella loved God, her family, America and Crete, her vegetable garden, flower garden, fig trees, golfing, fishing for marida, hunting, singing, baking for everyone, cooking for her loved ones, kalitsounakia, teaching and playing with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, connecting with family and friends near and far, politics, real estating and Truman Beach. She loved her siblings and cousins and nieces and nephews and friends. She never retired and worked until the day the Lord took her from us.

Stella was tireless, charitable, fierce, determined, brilliant, our guardian, our protector and the perfect person to be our Mommy and Yiayia. She now joins Artemios (our daddy, pops, papouli) in heaven to be our forever angels.

Stella was born on Dec. 24, 1937 in Mathe, Apokorona, Crete, Greece to Kaliope (Nikolarakis) and Spyros G. Kapassakis. She was one of eight children. She attended Mathe Elementary School in Greece prior to moving to the States. She attended Seward Park High School in New York City and Brooklyn College-CUNY. She was also a graduate of the “University of Hard Knocks” with high honors.

On June 25, 1960 she married the love of her life, the late Artemios V. Tsismenakis Sr. Together they had four children. In her professional career Stella worked as a real estate salesperson, broker, investor and manager for Atlas Sales Realty in Southold and Brooklyn since 1970. She was also a farmer, shepherd, restaurateur, fur seamstress, and traveling saleswoman. She was a member of the National Association of Realtors, NYS Association of Realtors, Long Island Board of Realtors, Cretan Brotherhood Family of NY, a board member of the Cretan Sisterhood of NY, a member of the Pancretan Association of America, a member of SS Anargyroi, Taxiarhis & Gerasimos G.O. Church in Greenport, Three Hierachs G.O. Church in Brooklyn, G.O. Church of the Assumption in Windham, N.Y., Saint Barbara G.O. Church in New York City, Transfiguration of Christ G.O. Church in Mattituck, Kimisis G.O. Church in Brooklyn, a member of the Ladies Philoptochos, and a member of the Fur Workers Union.

She immigrated with her family to Manhattan on May 8, 1956 from Crete, then moved to Brooklyn when she wed. She was a part-time resident of East Marion since 1967 and full-time since 1995 until 2020, when she became a dual resident of East Marion and Brooklyn.

Predeceased by her husband Artemios; parents Kaliope and Spyros; and siblings Andrea Kapassakis, Spyridon Kapassakis, Panagiota Kapassakis, George Kapassakis and Katina Kapassakis; Stella is survived by her children Sofia Antoniadis (Michael) of East Marion, Georgia A. Tsismenakis of Shelter Island, Vasilia H.A. Tsismenakis (Aristides Georgelis) of East Marion and Bayside, and Artemios Tsismenakis Jr. of East Marion; grandchildren Domna Antoniadis-Kelly (Robert), Nicholas Antoniadis (Anastasia), George Artemios Georgelis and Artemios Georgelis; great-grandchildren Thanasi Kelly, Stelios Kelly, Michael Antoniadis and Stephanos Antoniadis; siblings Helene Malegiannakis (Michael) and Fay Lambrakos (John); and many cousins and friends in the U.S., Greece and Canada.

The family received friends Sunday, Oct. 12 at Transfiguration of Christ G.O. Church, 1950 Breakwater Road, Mattituck, N.Y. 11952. The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated on Monday, Oct. 13 officiated by Father Andrew Cadieux, assisted by Protopresbyter Lakovos Fitzpatrick. Family welcomed friends prior to the service. Interment followed at the East Marion Cemetery, 195 Cemetery Road, East Marion, N.Y. 11939.

Family requests in lieu of flowers, perhaps a prayer, candle or donation to the charity of your choice, or to the Transfiguration of Christ GOC Capital Fund or the GOC of the Assumption Windham, N.Y. Capital Fund.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck served the family.

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