Ramona Marie Germanis

For a time they lived with her grandparents on their farm in rural Cedaredge, in western Colorado until she was 8 years old. Ramona’s parents were Christian teachers. Later she and her family moved to the Southwestern United States where her parents taught in Seventh-day Adventists Elementary Schools. When Ramona was ready for high school, the family moved to Angwin, California in the Napa Valley.

In 1950 she enrolled at Pacific Union College to study teaching. There she met a theology student of Greek parents, Nick Germanis. Two years later they were married. He was the one and only love of her life for over 43 years.

After Nick graduated from college, they took teaching jobs in San Andreas, California. There Ramona started her life of service teaching little children, the passion of her life, something she continued to do until a few months ago. She was universally kind and universally loved.

A year later Nick took a job of assistant pastor in Stockton. While there they received a call to go to Athens, Greece to serve as missionaries.

In May of 1955 they boarded the ship “Olympia” from New York and sailed all the way to Greece. What was a call for an 18-month term turned into more than 31 years of service. Eventually Nick became President of the Greek SDA Mission. They dedicated their lives working with the Greek people, especially the children and youth. They were a part of a team who started a summer camp on a plot of land near the beach called Kalamos.

Nick and Ramona were founders and educators, pioneering SDA Christian education in Greece. They started Athens International Academy, whose graduates went worldwide.

Nick and Ramona conducted health education seminars including nutrition and healthy living and the only stop smoking programs in Greece.

As Ramona’s parents aged, she would return to the US summers to see her parents but also work on her college education. She proudly received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Pacific Union College in 1982, graduating around the time her 2 daughters completed college.

Nick got his Masters of Public Health in 1984 from Loma Linda University. They couple returned to Greece in 1984 for 4 more years to work. After that they decided to return to the US permanently. But it was not to be. But then they got a call to teach in Oakhurst, California on the way to Yosemite. But then they got a call to go to Nicosia, Cyprus. They heeded the call. They spent the next four years there. Ramona was a teacher and principal of the Cyprus SDA School.

In 1992, they returned permanently to the United States. They returned to Chowchilla to be near their daughter Dorothy Merriam and Nick’s ailing mother.

Soon after they returned to the United States, Ramona lost her husband Nick in a tragic automobile accident.

But retirement did not suit Ramona. She became a substitute teacher in the public schools and taught Kindergarten in the church school. She worked until age 83. Her entire adult life she taught children’s Sabbath School Vacation Bible School, worked at summer camp, Pathfinders and whatever else she was needed. She was secretary of the Hellenic Seventh Day Adventist Fellowship and in charge of Greek Bible lessons.

Ramona was a wonderful mother of two daughters and grandmother of five grandchildren with whom she dearly loved and was actively involved in most of their lives.

Ramona is survived by her daughters, Dorothy (Cameron) Merriam, and Elena (Craig) Papayanis, and the children of Dorothy and Cameron are Justin (Gianna) Merriam and Meggie Merriam. Elena’s children are Alexander, Stephanie Papayanis (engaged to Shawn Dunn) and Dr. Philip Papayanis (married to Dr. Kaitlin McArthur) and two sisters in law Virginia Coombs and Demetra Dimakos, and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

A Visitation and Funeral Service for Ramona will be held Friday, September 27, 2024 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Chowchilla Seventh Day Adventist Church, 22310 Rd 13, Chowchilla, California 93610.

Following the funeral service will be a graveside service at 2:00 PM at the Chowchilla Cemetery District, 23359 Rd 14 1/2, Chowchilla, California 93610.

Please join us in remembering Ramona Marie Germanis by visiting our Memorial at www.wordenchapel.com

Through this site, we invite you to view and share cherished photos and videos, share fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Germanis Family or share the obituary with others via social media and email. Arrangements are under the direction of Palm Memorial Worden Chapel, Lori Whatley, Funeral Arranger and Celina Higareda, Assistant.