Georgia Sarantos

GEORGIA SARANTOS (nee Mersinas) age 87, beloved wife for 65 years of Sarantos “Sam”; loving mother of Ellen Reech (husband Jeff), Thomas, and Steven (wife Marjorie); devoted grandmother of Benjamin and Eric; dearest sister of Katherine Carlton (husband Steven) and the late Gus and Michael Mersinas.

Private Family Services will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 12 Noon. Burial following at Maple Hill Cemetery in Munson, OH. Family will receive friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Georgia at THE DeJOHN FUNERAL HOME & CELEBRATIONS CENTER OF CHESTERLAND 12811 CHILLICOTHE ROAD (Rt. 306, just south of Mayfield Rd.) Friday 4-7 PM.

Georgia (Mersinas) Sarantos

March 23, 1933 – March 28, 2020 (age 87)

Life-long Ohio resident Georgia (Mersinas) Sarantos passed away peacefully at 12:54 AM Saturday, March 28, 2020.  Georgia was born to Charles and Smaragda (Pearl) Mersinas on March 23, 1933 in Cleveland, Ohio.

She grew up in the Cleveland area.  Georgia married Sarantos A. (Sam) Sarantos in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Cleveland in 1955, where they were serenaded at the reception by Georgia’s 7-year-old sister Katherine who sang many verses of “Davy Crockett” from the stage microphone.  Together Georgia and Sam were gifted with 65 years of marriage, 3 children, and 3 grandchildren.

Georgia is survived by her husband Sam Sarantos of Chesterland, Ohio;  daughter Ellen Reech and husband Jeff of Highland Heights, Ohio;  son Thomas Sarantos of Chesterland, Ohio;  and son Steven Sarantos and wife Marjorie of Chardon, Ohio.  Survivors also include her sister Katherine Carlton and husband Steven of Minnesota, and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Pearl Mersinas; brother Gus Mersinas of Macedonia, Ohio; and brother Mike Mersinas of Solon, Ohio.

Georgia graduated from John Hay High School in 1951 (this was most likely the place she learned to ‘talk tough’).  She worked for the Navy Department briefly after graduation, and then was hired as a secretary/accountant for Milton Licker, CPA where she worked for 42 years.

During the early 1960’s & 70’s, Georgia and Sam bought a pizza shop in Mayfield Heights which they aptly named “Saranto’s Pizza” and worked constant evenings and weekends in addition to their full-time day jobs.  Saranto’s Pizza had delivery drivers, cashiers, and above all, family.  Georgia and Sam fed paying customers, but always fed family.  Georgia would always point out Sam in the kitchen, mixing tomorrow’s pizza sauce in a deep pot with his hairy arm up to his elbow as he stirred the tomato sauce.  Somehow, the result of all their teamwork was the “Best Pizza Ever!”

One niece recalls Georgia’s Cleveland tough-talk attitude scared her straight when Georgia sternly said, “Bethany, just because I’m not your mother, doesn’t mean I’m not your mother, so you’d better listen to me!”  Bethany listened.

Travel was a huge passion and a motivating part of Georgia’s life.  Many trips to Minnesota to see her sister and annual trips to New York City for Christmas shopping and a trip to San Francisco led to France, then Italy, Romania, and Italy, Egypt, and Italy, Dubai, more Italy, Greece, and even more Italy.  She nearly always travelled side-by-side, inseparable, with her life-long 7^th grade best-friend Marie.  Georgia and Marie travelled like a pair of lovely senior movie stars, dressed “to the nines”, enjoying places and things to the fullest, and they turned heads wherever they went around the world. God bless you, Marie, for being such a good friend to Georgia.

Everyone loved the sound of Georgia’s laughter and giggles.  It was truly a beautiful and delicate sound, unlike any other.  Her laughter was like music.

Decades ago, during a visit to Minnesota, Georgia followed the paths of her mother and sister by praying and accepting Jesus into her heart as her personal Savior.  She and her sister prayed together often over the years.  Her prayers assured her she would be reunited with her loved ones in Heaven.  We will be together with our beloved Georgia;  wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and great-aunt once again.

Georgia really did love us all.

God bless all of you, who loved her too.