Athena Dallas Damis

 In Her Memory

A remarkable individual, friend of all Chians, our beloved Athena Dallas Damis, died suddenly on July 23, 2005.

Her memory will be eternal and shall always shine over the island of Chios where she was residing with her loving husband George for the past twenty years.

As an individual, she was humble, kind, always pleasant and well informed with an inexhaustible desire to help the Greek people and especially the Chians.

As a professional, she was an editor in several newspapers, an author of various books and translator of world known literary works.

Athena Dallas Damis was born in Baltimore, on October 20, 1925 from parents who were descendents of Chios. She grew up in Weirton, West Virginia and moved to New York in 1956 where she launched her career. She then moved to Chios, Greece with her husband in 1985.

She was director of the Saint Basil’s Academy, while at the same time writing her first book “The Americanopoulo.”

She translated four great literary works of Andrew Axiotaki, such as “The Anavatos” and “Nea Moni”.

She translated five great literary works of Nikos Kazatzaki, “The Adelfophades” 1960-62, “The Trilogy” 1974-6, “O Kouros”, “Christopher Columbus”, “The Melissa”, “Budas” 1978.

She also translated great literary works of Sotirios Patatzis, such as “The Methismeni Politeia” 1970.

As an author she wrote and published the following books:

The Island of the Winds (To Nesi Ton Anemon)-US 1976-78 / Greece 1995-96, 2000.

Windswept (O Anamodarmenos)-US 1981 / Greece 1996.

Follow the Wind (Akoloutha Tous Anemous)-US 1980-85 / Greece 2000

H Germaniki Katohi (presently with the publisher)

The Snowman And The Roses ( O Chionathropos Kai Ta Triantafylla)-Greece 2001.

The Yialini Anthrope – Greece 2003

O Chionanthropos epistrephi (presently with the publisher)

She was Director of the “Greek American” Newspaper from 1978 to 1982 and then remained on as an editor.

As an editor she wrote a plethora of articles about Greece, Cyprus and especially about Chios in various Greek-American newspapers such as “Ton Ethniko Kereka”, “Tin Proini” and many newspapers published in Philadelphia, Boston, California and Baltimore.

In the past about ten years, she made continuous and untiring efforts to help upgrade the “Skylitsion Hospital” of Chios. She focused on the needs of the Hospital including cleanliness, better services, and even interior decorating of the spaces. She helped in fund raising for the purchase of new equipment through her articles and personal phone calls. She was a great supporter of the Chios Societies of America & Canada and all their Chapters, in their efforts to provide the required and necessary medical equipment to the Hospital, which was accomplished, resulting in the upgrading of the quality of life in Chios.

Her contributions will always be remembered.

Her memory shall be eternal. Athena shall always be with us.

Angela X. Vitellas