Susan R. Galatis
December 19, 1925 – December 5, 2023
Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend visiting hours for Susan R. Galatis in the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea, on Saturday morning January 13th from 9 to 11 a.m. The visitation will be immediately followed with an Orthodox Funeral Service in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
Susan peacefully entered into eternal life on Friday, January 5th while at home surrounded by her loving family. She was 98 years of age.
Born Susie Rebecca Garvin in Ritter, South Carolina, she was one of 13 children of the late Charles Franklin Garvin, Sr. and Emma Elizabeth (Reed) Garvin. Susan was raised on a beautiful plantation and spent most of her early days enjoying the outdoors with her siblings. She loved to reminisce about her childhood years and share her lifetime of memories with her family. Sue received her education in a rural schoolhouse in Hendersonville, SC. As an adult, she would tell the stories of her bus ride to school, talk about the bus driver and how her friend would save a seat for her and offer her chewing gum daily.
As a young adult, Sue moved to Charleston, SC. One day while bowling with friends in Charleston, she caught the eye of a young sailor from Chelsea, Nicholas Kostas Galatis, Sue said it was love at first sight and after a three-month courtship, they married on February 16, 1946. A few months later, when Nick was discharged from the Navy, the newlyweds settled in Nick’s hometown of Chelsea where Susan became an integral part of the Galatis family and embraced their Greek customs and Orthodox Faith. It was said that she was more Greek than many Greeks, making traditional Hellenic dishes she learned from her mother-in-law, speaking the language and being baptized into the orthodox religion.
Susan was passionately devoted to God, family and home. She worked part time with her sister in-law, Kay at Sears and Roebuck until she had her children and became a stay at home mother. Once her children went to high school, Sue returned to work as a Quality Control Inspector with Sears and Roebuck in Kenmore Square, Boston. For many years she would ride to work together with her sister-in-la,y Kay and brother-in-law, “Socky”, oh the stories she would tell about those rides.
Some of her fondest memories were watching the Red Sox games as she could see Fenway Stadium out of the window from her job. Sue really enjoyed working and built close friendships with a lot of her co-workers.
Sue was a longtime member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England in Boston and also attended services at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Ipswich when she moved to Gloucester. She enjoyed being part of the church and attended with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Sue was a resident of Gloucester for the past 30 years. In her lifetime, she enjoyed traveling with her husband, socializing, cooking, baking, dancing, shopping with her granddaughter, Jhamaul, watching the Red Sox and, most of all, spending time with family and friends. Sue also enjoyed returning to South Carolina frequently to visit with family and friends and to attend family reunions.
Susan was predeceased by her husband, Nick in 2021, her daughter, Lola Galatis, son, Charles N. Galatis, Sr., grandson, Charles N. “Chucky” Galatis Jr., granddaughter, Jennifer Galatis, and great-grandson Charles Galatis, III (Little Chucky), her siblings; Joe, Beaula, Janette, Eunice, Caroll, Charles, Jr., Florrie Lea, Marion, Eugenia, and Robert. Sister-in-law Kanela “Kay” Murphy, brothers-in-law, Socrates K. “Socky” Galatis and Basil K. “Bill” Galatis and sister in law, Ellen Galatis.
She was the devoted mother of Peter N. Galatis of Gloucester, dear sister of Woodrow Garvin of Goose Creek, SC and Nelson Garvin of Walterboro, SC., sister-in-law of John and Michelle Galatis of Revere; cherished and revered grandmother of Jhamaul Galatis, Edwin “Rocky” Galatis, both of Chelsea, Nicholas Galatis of VirginiaA, Demetrios “Jim” Galatis of Fitchburg, Alycia Dow and Peter Galatis of New Hampshire and adored great-grandmother of Xavier Galatis and Edwin Galatis, Jr., both of Chelsea, Athena Lambert of New Hampshire, Kyra Carey of Vermont and Alyssa Galatis of New Hampshire, Thea Dow, Nicholas Galatis, Lilly May Galatis and Aiden Galatis, all of New Hampshire and a caring great-great-grandmother of Abigail Lambert of New Hampshire and the beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by many extended family members and friends.
For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFH.com.