Obituary of Helen D. (Limberakis) Sampsonis

Helen Limberakis Sampsonis of Peabody, MA, passed away on Monday from complications related to COVID-19. She was 67 years of age. Helen lived a life of service to those closest to her and to strangers alike. A beloved aunt, she took every opportunity to attend concerts, shows, and sporting events for her niece, Mary, and nephew, James. She offered advice and counsel and always was there to lend an encouraging word or provide inspiration and motivation for their next endeavor. She did the same for the extended family whom she loved. A graduate of Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA, Helen was a creative soul and was particularly proud of her Sampsonis Gallery and Frame Shop in Burlington, MA, which she owned and operated for over a decade. Helen shared a passion for the arts with her husband Paul, an avid musician specializing in the bass guitar. Together they carried out a yearly pilgrimage to the world-renowned Newport Jazz Festival. Helen is now reunited with Paul, who she lost five years ago. Helen’s responsibilities as a small business owner did not distract her from a sense of duty to her faith and to her community. Every year she could be found volunteering at her Church Festival, decorating the Epitafios for Easter, or finding some other way to serve. An enduring legacy will be the restoration she carried out on the iconography at the Taxiarche/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown, MA originally written by her Great Uncle, Sofronios Afentakis, nearly a century ago. At various points, she showed her leadership skills as President of Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Woburn, MA and on the Boards of Directors of the Metropolis of Boston Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, the National Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, and the Hellenic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canton, MA. Helen’s family asks that donations in Helen’s memory be sent to the Hellenic Nursing Home at 601 Sherman St., Canton, MA 02021. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 2nd before a burial ceremony at the family plot at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. Those wishing to assemble for the burial service via Zoom at 11:30 AM may do so here: (https://zoom.us/j/93876685243?pwd=TUhlRGxvYmU0THZ4ZlFCQm51TUlIUT09 ; Meeting ID: 938 7668 5243 ; Password: 6VMFsW). Having been fond of visiting the graves of her husband Paul as well as her grandparents, Helen and Constantine Rokas, Uncle James C. Rokas, and Uncle James P. Rokas and Aunt Ourania Eleftherakis, all at Mount Auburn, she now joins them in peace and tranquility as they enjoy the gift of eternal life. Helen is survived by her parents Demetreos ‘Jim’ and Mary Limberakis, sister and brother-in-law Evelyn and George Rockas, and niece and nephew Mary Rockas and James Rockas. She is mourned by countless extended family members and friends who recognize her remarkable joie-de-vivre and indiscriminate compassion. May her memory be eternal.