Obituary of Jean Baras Koulas

Jean (Baras) Koulas, 93, of Peabody, wife of the late James T. Manning killed in action during WWII and wife of the late Ernest Koulas, died at Beverly Hospital on Monday, November 22, 2010 with her family by her side. Jean was born in Ipswich, on March 20, 1917, daughter of the late Nicholas and Constantina (Stasinos) Baras. She was raised and educated in Ipswich, moving to Peabody where she resided for most of her life. Jean was employed for 15 years as secretary to the manager at the Salem Country Club until her retirement 1975. Prior to this, she was employed for 8 years in the production department at the GTE Sylvania Sylvan Street Plant in Danvers. Jean was a loving mother and grandmother who devoted her life to creating a home for her family. She was a parishioner of St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Peabody, and enjoyed cooking for her family, shopping and helping others. Jean is survived by her grandson, Nicholas E. Manning and his fiancée Erica Lopez of Danvers, her granddaughter, Kara Lin Manning of Topsfield; her daughter-in-law, Mary A. Manning of Topsfield; 4 nieces, Tina Maeder and her husband Robert of Groton, Lynne Baras-Towey of Peabody, Helene Hutchinson and her fiancée Robert Milne of Hamilton and Connie Palomo of Beverly and a nephew, Nicholas James Baras and his wife Michelle of Hamilton; and her many great nieces and great nephews. Her son Nicholas James Manning predeceased her in 1982. Her funeral will be held on Monday, November 29, 2010 at 12 noon at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, 5 Paleologos Street, Peabody. Her family will receive relatives and friends on Monday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., (downtown location) Peabody. The family requested donations be made in memory of Jean Koulas to the Joslin Diabetes Center, ( www.joslin.org ) One Joslin Place, Boston, MA 02215. Burial in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody or to the USO www.uso.org