Venus Pastis

Venus Charnas Pastis, 101, of Setauket, NY passed away peacefully in Clearwater, FL on August 10, 2023. She is predeceased by her husband Nicholas (2010) and is survived by her three children, Bill (Argie), Teddy (Bruno), Jackie (Ginanne); four grandchildren, Nick, Stefanie, Anthony (Johna), Chris (Karen), and seven great-grandchildren Irene (George), Nichole (Arsany), Joshua, Audrey, Shawn, Mia, Vasilios, and great-great grandson Thomas.

Venus was born on July 13, 1922 in Trenton, NJ. She was the youngest daughter of seven children (Rena, Chryssa, Libby, Gus, Arti, Steve) and recalls meeting her sisters for the first time, when they travelled from Ikaria to Brooklyn. Venus lost her beloved mother, Theodora Lakios, at the tender age of fifteen and her beloved father Kyriakos five years later. She attended Pershing Junior High School where she was elected to Junior Arista, an honor society, and received the French Medal for excellence in French language. She graduated from New Utrecht High School in 1939. After graduation she worked as an administrative assistant at Party Favors in Brooklyn. She then moved to Indiana to work at Inland Steel for the war effort. Her job there was to measure shells for bombs. She was frightened by the work because she was handling live explosives. It was here that she saw, for the first time, two siblings sign for their pay with an “X,” a memory that deeply affected her. Venus moved back to Brooklyn to work at Sperry Gyroscope, again for the war effort, painting airplane dials with white radium. She married Nicholas Vasiliou Pastis (Xilosirti, Ikaria) on January 6, 1946, after he returned from the war. Nick and Venus lived in Brooklyn in a one room apartment and hosted many parties until the wee morning hours. She worked for Kanellakis Shipping, sending relief packages to Greece after the war, and as an executive secretary at Mason Dixon Trucking until her first child William was born in 1948. Her second child Theodora was born in 1950 and her last child, Jacqueline Zacarie was born in 1955. In 1960 the family moved to Setauket, NY on Long Island to begin construction of the Shangri-La restaurant and the family home on Pond Path. Venus continued to work as a cashier at the restaurant while raising her children.

Our home was filled with people, food, music and laughter. Mom loved to plan large parties for our father’s name day, or for special birthdays and events, especially New Year’s Eve. Mom loved to dance and so Dad took lessons at Arthur Murray before they were married to keep up with her. She was an excellent seamstress who made everything from coats and dresses to curtains and bedspreads. She adored opera. Mom loved to garden. When our father retired from the restaurant he began to farm and sell vegetables at a stand called Tomato King, in front of the house. Mom spent long days running the stand in the summers, while Dad would come and go with fresh produce. Mom was always willing to lend a helping hand to family, friends, and strangers. She was deeply religious and growing up our lives revolved around the church calendar. When our father could no longer farm, mom and he spent their last years caring for each other. They kissed each morning and held hands as they watched television. They were as in love at the end of life as they were when first married. Our father would make sure mom had her cane or her medical alarm. Mom took care of Dad until his death in 2010, after almost 65 years together. After dad died our mother somehow found a way to greet each new day without her soulmate. She continued to host parties and dinners into her nineties and to welcome family and friends to her home. She loved to play cards, to read, and to watch Turner Classic movies. She gardened from her patio while leaning on her walker. She told us many times that her heart was full of wonderful memories. Mom continued to live independently in her own home, as was her wish, until her 99th year. She then went to Clearwater to enjoy the warmer winters and to spend time with Bill and Argie and the extended family there. She was the belle of the ball at her 100th birthday party in Clearwater and even danced Ikariotiko from her wheelchair.

She was a treasure and a gift to all who knew her, and kept her sweet disposition to the end. She will be deeply missed. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to the Helios Chapter #19 Building Fund, P.O. Box 490, Dunedin, FL 34697 or to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777.

We love you mamaki, up to the moon.

May her memory be eternal.

Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη

A visitation for Venus will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2023 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM at Casimir Funeral Home, 4839 Nesconset Highway, Port Jefferson Station, New York 11776. Funeral mass on Monday, August 21, 2023 at 10 AM at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777. Interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton Blvd., Calverton, NY 11933.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CasimirFuneralHome.com for the Pastis family.