Mary Harris Pappas

Mary Harris Pappas became one of God’s angels on Wednesday, the 12th of July 2017, at her home surrounded by her parents and five younger siblings, who will miss her dearly and forever appreciate the thoughtful, generous, loyal, caring, and humble person that she was. She was 41.

In her youth, Mary enjoyed family vacations at the beach, going to Astros games with her maternal grandparents, and attending GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America) summer retreats and basketball tournaments. As the eldest sibling, Mary always cared for her younger siblings. She braided hair, packed lunches, and modeled good behavior. Later, she was a profuse reader, who travelled extensively, frequently dined out with family and friends, and passionately pursued live music performances by her favorite bands, especially U2. Mary had an eye for the beautiful. She enjoyed well-designed jewelry, abstract paintings, and modern architecture. Mary’s ideal day was sitting on a beautiful beach, with a good book in hand, within walking distance of a fabulous outdoor taverna.

Mary attended middle and high school at The Kinkaid School where she was an honor roll student and graduated cum laude in 1993. She attended Duke University where she nurtured her passion for nature and science, obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Geology in 1997. After college, Mary worked as a Senior Analyst for Arthur Anderson LLP in the Business Valuation Group. In 2001, she completed “The Culinary Certificate Program” at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she received the Blossom Award, an award presented to students who made great progress in lab or academic work.

Mary knew from an early age that she wanted to work in the family’s restaurant business. Not counting all the napkins she folded as a five year old, she first worked for the Company as a hostess at the age of 16. After completing culinary school, she received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 2003, where she obtained the necessary tools to thrive at Pappas Restaurants, Inc. She returned to Houston and began a managerial program with the Company, which started with an entry-level busser position. She moved into a management role at Pappadeaux and then joined the Bar-B-Q concept. For about 3 years, she was co-concept leader in charge of 18 Bar-B-Q restaurants. After that, she held the unofficial role of “problem solver,” moving throughout the Company, managing department heads, identifying trends, solving problems, and improving efficiency. She was extremely dedicated and hard-working, and motivated those around her. Her father described her as “awesome.”

Family, friends, and faith were the priorities in Mary’s life. She loved her aunts and uncles and doted on her own nieces and nephews. She routinely sent her family and friends gifts and notes celebrating their achievements and comforting their disappointments. She was a lifelong member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church where she served on the Parish Council. In 2010, Mary chaired the Annunciation Original Greek Festival and achieved record-breaking results. In 2014, Mary was admitted into the Young Presidents’ Organization, one of few women to join. Since 2006, Mary served as a board member for Target Hunger, a United Way agency combating food insecurity in Houston, a cause she cared deeply about.

Mary inspired all with her courage and strength in the face of cancer. Her spirit is now free from that burden. She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, godmother, colleague, and friend. Her memory will be kept eternal by her loving parents, Harris and Vicky Pappas; her sister Evelyn Pappas and husband Nickolas Spiliotis, her sister Christina Pappas and husband William Boffa, her brother H.D. Pappas and wife Allie, her sister Eleni Pappas, her brother Tom Pappas; her nieces Dimitra, Vicky, and Irene Spiliotis; her nephews George Spiliotis and Harris and Greg Pappas; her godsons Nicholas Giannukos, Constantine Mathews and William Vlahakos; and her loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

The Trisagion Prayers service is to be conducted at half-past six o’clock in the evening on Sunday, the 16th of July, at St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Eldridge Parkway in Houston.

The funeral service will be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 17th of July, also at St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church. Honored to serve as casket bearers during the services are her brothers, H.D. and Tom Pappas; her cousins, James and Michael Pappas and C.J. Gerukos, and Nickolas Spiliotis and William Boffa.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family gratefully appreciates contributions made in Mary’s name to any of the following: Greater Houston Community Foundation, FBO Mary Harris Pappas Charitable Fund, 5120 Woodway, Suite 6000, Houston, TX 77056; the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd., Houston, TX 77006; or Target Hunger, 2814 Quitman St., Houston, TX 77026.

“May her memory be eternal.”