Helen Kostidakis, wife, mother, grandmother, and businesswoman, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2025 surrounded by family. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Born in Rockford, Illinois on August 5, 1938 to George and Mary Hondros, graduating from West High School in 1956. She received a scholarship to attend the University of Illinois, to pursue a law degree until she had to return home to take care of her ailing father and grandmother, where she graduated from Rockford College in 1960 with a degree in teaching. Helen began teaching English and political science. On February 5, 1961, she married Perry Kostidakis, beginning a 59-year marriage filled with love and starting a partnership centered around hard work and providing a better life for their family. They started their family and first businesses in Beloit, Wisconsin, where their children Maria and Timothy were born. In 1972, Perry and Helen moved their family to Daytona Beach, Florida.

She served in many roles for her family and her community. She earned her real estate license, worked together with Perry to open and run a laundromat, several retail stores, and rental properties and also dedicated her time to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Daytona Beach as a parish member, choir member, Greek Festival food line chairman, Sunday School teacher, organizer and first president of the Greek School PTA and as a former President, board member and welfare committee chairman of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, where she helped establish a backpack drive alongside the Jewish Federation of Volusia & Flagler Counties that continues to this day. She also was a lifelong member, the youngest-ever inducted, of the Daughters of Penelope.

A loving mother and grandmother, she was happiest having all her family together, especially during Sunday dinners that occasionally grew so large multiple tables had to be added to accommodate everybody. Helen was blessed with the gift of gab, finding genuine joy in conversation with anybody who crossed her path. At the end of coffee hour, a familiar sight was her holding court, often the last person sitting in the St. Demetrios church hall.

Helen is survived by daughter Maria (Pete) Andreoulas, son Tim (Monica), daughter-in-law Maria Kostidakis, grandchildren Katie, Perry (Mary Grace), Eleni Kostidakis, and Demetri Andreoulas, sister-in-law Effie (James) Sarantos, nieces Stacy (Mike) Striegel and Litsa (Steve) Soulimiotis and their families, sister-in-law, Kiki Kostidakis, in Chios, Greece and many nieces, nephews and cousins in Greece. She is predeceased by her husband Perry.

On Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 at Lohman Funeral Home Ormond, a Visitation will take place at 5 PM. A Trisagion service will take place at 6 PM. A Funeral Service will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 129 N Halifax Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Daytona Beach, FL.

The care of Helen F. Kostidakis is under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond, 733 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174, 386-673-1100.