Maritsa Tsioupra
(from Zodhia)
10.10.1926 – 03.09.2021
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Maritsa Tsioupra on Friday 3rd September at the age of 94. She was much loved and will be deeply missed.
Maritsa leaves behind her son Desmond, her daughters Fotini and Gnosoulla, five grandchildren Sarah, Lisa, Harley, Maritsa and Christoforo, and two great-grandchildren, Robert and Calvin. (Her son, Eddie, passed away in 2017.) She also leaves behind her brother Stavros, and many other loving relatives and friends. The funeral will be taking place on Tuesday September 21st, 2021 at 1.00pm at St Katherine’s Church, Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0NL and then at New Southgate Cemetery, Brunswick Park Road, London N11 1JJ. The wake will take place at Ariana Banqueting Hall, Brunswick Park Rd, London N11 1GN (free parking available in the red spaces). We ask that, instead of flowers, donations be made to Sightsavers (to help cure avoidable blindness all over the world) and The Cypriot Community Centre. Both causes were close to Maritsa’s heart and a donation box will be available on the day.
Με μεγάλη θλίψη ανακοινώνουμε τον θάνατο της Μαρίτσας Τσιούπρα την Παρασκευή 3 Σεπτεμβρίου, σε ηλικία 94 ετών. Αγαπήθηκε πολύ και θα λείψει πολύ.
Η Μαρίτσα αφήνει πίσω τον γιο της Ντέσμοντ, τις κόρες της Φωτεινή και Γνωσούλλα, πέντε εγγόνια, τους Σάρα, Λίζα, Χάρλεϊ, Μαρίτσα και Χριστόφορο. και δύο δισέγγονα, τον Ρόμπερτ και τον Κάλβιν. (Ο γιος της, Έντι, απεβίωσε το 2017.) Αφήνει επίσης πίσω τον αδελφό της Σταύρο και πολλούς άλλους αγαπημένους συγγενείς και φίλους. Η κηδεία θα τελεσθεί την Τρίτη 21 Σεπτεμβρίου 2021 στη 1.00 μ.μ. στην εκκλησία της Αγίας Αικατερίνης, Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0NL και η ταφή στο κοιμητήριο του New Southgate Cemetery, Brunswick Park Road, London N11 1JJ. Η παρηγοριά θα δοθεί στο Ariana Banqueting Hall, Brunswick Park Rd, London N11 1GN (δωρεάν χώρος στάθμευσης στους κόκκινους χώρους).
Ζητάμε, αντί για λουλούδια, να γίνουν δωρεές στους Sightsavers (για να θεραπεύσουν την τύφλωση που μπορεί να αποφευχθεί σε όλο τον κόσμο) και στο Κυπριακό Κοινοτικό Κέντρο. Και τα δύο κέντρα ήταν κοντά στην Μαρίτσα και ένα κουτί δωρεών θα είναι διαθέσιμο την ημέρα της κηδείας.
We sadly announce that UK Cypriot Maritsa Tsioupra, from Zodia in Cyprus, passed away on Friday September 3rd at the age of 94.
She was well known within our community for the work and support she gave to many of our causes within the UK Cypriot community and Cyprus.
Maritsa Tsioupra left Cyprus at the age of 18 to come to the UK with the intention of staying for only five years but, like so many from that, era remained in the UK.
Maritsa was the widow of Takis Tsioupra from Komi Kebir who died in 1977 at the age of 49 when he was run over by a car in Palmers Green. Their daughters, Fotini and Gnosoulla, were then 12 and 9 years old respectively.
Tragically, Maritsa had also lost her first husband, Costa Michael from Labithos, who had collapsed and died suddenly in 1954 when their sons Edmond and Desmond were 6 and 4 years old.
Both times she had to raise her children as a single mother, taking whatever jobs she could to make ends meet.
Yet throughout all those years, she fought for social causes and the Cypriot community – as a founder member and activist within many organisations. Maritsa Tsioupra served the UK Cypriot community as the Chair of the Cypriot Womens League and helped support the creation of our community Greek schools and Cypriot Community Centre. She helped organise and attended countless protests for Cyprus; for peace; and for the underprivileged and under-represented. She also became a member of the Communist Party to battle for the rights of the workers in Britain, Cyprus and Greece. She instilled in her children very strong values and a strong work ethic. Her family describe her as being “the most courageous, resilient and caring person, who devoted her life to others”.
In March last year Maritsa was taken to Barnet Hospital – she had fractured her hip and ribs following a fall and she had contracted Covid 19, but she recovered and was dischaged after ten days. This news of her surviving Covid 19 at the age of 93 was highly publicised by the press and TV and radio media.
Maritsa Tsioupra’s health subsequently deteriorated and during the last few months she had been residing in Autumn Gardens care home in Southgate.
Maritsa’s daughter Fotini is a Senior Probation Officer, Gnosoulla is the Chief Talent Officer for The Economist Group, and Desmond is retired. Her son, Eddie, passed away in 2017.
Maritsa also leaves behind five grandchildren Sarah, Lisa, Harley, Maritsa and Christoforo, and two great-grandchildren, Robert and Calvin. She also leaves behind her brother Stavros who lives in Cyprus.
Parikiaki extend their condolences to the family
