Maria S. Vakas, Leavenworth

Mrs. Vakas died Monday, Feb. 28, 2005, at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

She was born July 22, 1924, in Kansas City, Mo., as Amanda Mae Nickolopoulos, the daughter of Theodore A. and Catherine Marados Nickolopoulos. She was renamed Maria T. Nickolopoulos.

She attended Coffeyville Community College and graduated from Kansas State Teacher’s College in Emporia with a bachelor’s degree. She lived in Massachusetts, Montana, Missouri, Coffeyville and Emporia before moving to Leavenworth in 1964.

Mrs. Vakas and her husband owned and operated Sammy’s Steakhouse restaurant in Coffeyville. She worked at the Coffeyville Public Library as a children’s librarian and wrote for the Coffeyville Gazette. She taught kindergarten, second and fifth grade in Leavenworth for 25 years, retiring in 1989. She also taught in the Head Start program.

She was a sponsor and contact for many Greek officers and their families stationed at Fort Leavenworth and taught English as a second language to their children. She volunteered at the public library, Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society and various other organizations. She was a member of St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church in Overland Park.

She married Speros Gustav Vakas in 1948 in Missouri. He died in 1958.

Survivors include a daughter, Christina “Kris” Vakas Bates, Lawrence; a son, Constantine “Dean” Speros Vakas, Fort Leavenworth; and a half-sister, Josephine Pruett, Mountain View, Mo.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Davis Funeral Chapel, where the family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.

The family suggests memorials to Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society, sent in care of the chapel, 531 Shawnee St., Leavenworth 66048.