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The Brothers Three
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

The Brothers Three

  George, Andrew and Angelo Ballasiotes’ youthful escapades were occasionally overlooked as their father Christos was well known and respected in Aberdeen, Washington.  The three brothers grew up at a time when the Grays Harbor logging camps and sawmills provided significant wealth for its residents and where a surprisingly large number of Greeks settled.  Their love and admiration for their father who they say was the kindest and most generous person you would ever meet permeates their stories.

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The Great Head of the Family
Exhibit Greeks of Washington Exhibit Greeks of Washington

The Great Head of the Family

Great yiayia (grandmother) was too long to say for Willene (Vasiliki) Delegans Allison’s great grandson, so the name for this family matriarch became simply “Great.”

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Family Comes First
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

Family Comes First

The walls of Tom Cassis’ basement recreation room contain a family history of plhotos beyond imagination.  For him as long as the family comes first, everything else will fall in line.  His memory of names, dates and places shows how important those relationships have been in his life.

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Learning the Hard Way
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

Learning the Hard Way

Thomay (from Thomas) “May” Fenerly grew up in a small cottage on Sequim Bay on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula without a road until 1937 and without electricity until 1955.  Despite the challenges of living and learning in a remote location May successfully pursued and developed a career in education.  She has also meticulously documented the family history in words and photos.

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Making Sweet Music Together
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

Making Sweet Music Together

For 58 years, Peter Evans Jr. and Anna Damoulou Evans have maintained their faith, their vows and their musical interests.  They recall many activities in their Greek Orthodox Church, in their community and with their family where music and singing have played an important part. 

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Come Fly With Me
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

Come Fly With Me

Born in Washington State, Diana Aristides Bacas (nee Delimitros) has the best of three worlds and is equally at home in Madrid, Athens or Seattle.  She also believes that she is truly blessed to have lived in this particular timeframe of history, to have been born in Seattle, wanted and loved by her family and to have experienced an extraordinary and unique timeframe of aviation history.

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It Really Did Take A Village
Exhibit, Person Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Person Greeks of Washington

It Really Did Take A Village

 While the town of Manson, Washington, was reminiscent of her parents’ homes in Greece, hers was the only Greek family in the area.  For Diamando (Manda) Tagas Bekris, it really did take a village to raise a child.  It was from the influence and urging of non-Greek neighbors that she was able to learn about the world outside of her own family.

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All Her Greek Somedays
Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington Exhibit, Personal History Greeks of Washington

All Her Greek Somedays

 “Yesterdays are history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift of love, that is why it is called the present.” Katheren (Aikatereni) Armatas (nee Sarantinos) used this quote at the end of a video she prepared.  However, it is fitting to place the quote at the beginning of this exhibit as it so aptly describes the inspiration for her work.  That work includes several contributions to two volumes about Tacoma, Washington, a book about her family’s journey and experiences titled “A Lingering Breeze from Marmara Sea,” a video of early Greek immigrants in Tacoma, and a video of her own poetry, writings and reminiscences. 

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