ASTORIA – It was with heavy hearts that family members announced the passing of Anna Markatos, a resident of Astoria, at the age of 104 on February 16, following health complications.

Her godson Angelos Maravelakis, who was close to her until her last moments, shared the news of her death.

Maravelakis, moved by the loss, spoke with The National Herald, describing his godmother as his “second mother,” and noted that, in fact, she had been close to him from an early age, as if he was her own child.

“My godmother was an angel. Anyone who met her had nothing bad to say about her. She was a genuine, good soul. I basically grew up with her. She was the sweetest woman I have ever met. She went through a lot, contracted polio, underwent operations, but she was a very strong woman and overcame it,” said Maravelakis, who revealed that, despite her advanced age, Markatos also managed to survive the impact of the coronavirus, despite being hit by the deadly first variant in 2020.

“She was in a nursing home for a decade. She was in good physical shape until 2020, when she was struck by the coronavirus. She survived, but it left her with scars. For the last year, she did not get out of bed, nor did she speak. She recently got sick with coronavirus again, her body couldn’t take it,” he added.

According to Maravelakis, Anna Markatos, who came from Kefalonia, worked hard in the garment industry, while she lost her husband at a relatively young age, not having been able to have children.

“On the weekends I stayed at her house, it was like I had moved. For me, she was like a second mother,” he noted.

The visitation and funeral for Anna Markatos were held on February 21 at St. Catherine and St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Astoria. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/.