Helen Demos Obituary

Helen "Nitsa" Siokos Demos

March 18, 1941 - April 1, 2026

Charleston, South Carolina - Helen Saleemie Siokos Demos, better known to all as Nitsa, died on April 1, 2026, surrounded by her loving husband, Andrew H. Demos, of 63 years, and her three children. Nitsa was born March 18, 1941, in Columbia, SC, and was predeceased by her parents, Badeia Sabbagha and James Siokos; her brother, Constantine J. Siokos; and her sister, Maria Siokos Papajohn. The Trisagion Service will be held Saturday, April 4, 2026, at 3:00 PM at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 30 Race Street, followed by family visitation at Trinity Hall and the funeral service at 3:45 PM. Interment will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.

Nitsa graduated from Columbia High School in 1959, where she served on Student Council and was editor of the school newspaper. During her high school and college years, Nitsa worked at the Richland County Public Library, Children's Services. She graduated in 1962 from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. Later in life, Nitsa obtained a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science, a Media Specialist Certification in 1989, and a certification in Interior Design. Her professional experience included serving as librarian at Miss Mason's School (now Mason Prep) from 1976-1984. She then became the Media Specialist at Orange Grove Elementary, where she was the recipient of four Education Improvement Act Teacher Grants, a $5,000 EIA school-wide grant, an Impact II grant, Teacher of the Year, teacher incentive pay for superior performance, and numerous leadership roles including School-Based Management Committee, Faculty Council, grade captain, Public Relations Chair, Environmental School of the Year Chair and State Winner, in-service presenter for CCSD faculty, practice teachers, high school teacher cadets, CCSD committees to revise the Performance Appraisal Instrument, to adopt a county-wide book list for suggested summer reading, to develop a policy manual for the CCSD Central Media Center, and Teacher Network. She also received the Greater Charleston Jaycees Distinguished Service Award. Her greatest professional achievement was being selected as the South Carolina Media Specialist of the Year.

Organizations with which Nitsa was associated included the South Carolina Association of School Librarians, where she was selected as one of the top five Media Specialists in SC for 1989-90 and 1990-91. She received the SC Association for Educational Technology Distinguished Achievement Award in 1992. She was a board member of the Charleston County Association of School Librarians and the SC Library Association. Nitsa was also a member of the American Library Association, American Association of School Librarians, Phi Delta Kappa, Charleston County Friends of the Library, and the USC Annual Fund and Alumni Association. Locally, she served as a guide for the Tour of Homes with the Historic Preservation Society of Charleston and Historic Charleston Foundation. She was a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for over 40 years.

No one could know Nitsa without knowing her devotion to her faith and family. At Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Charleston, she served as Centennial Chair, on the New Building Committee, and as a choir member and youth director. Nitsa had been a member of the St. Irene Philoptochos since her arrival in Charleston in 1964, where she served in all executive board positions, including president. Her greatest Philoptochos accomplishments included her work with the Popular Greek Recipes cookbook as chair, cookbook revision editor, and staff member for over 50 years. She received the Archangel Michael Award in 2010, with all of her family attending the presentation in Atlanta.

Nitsa's family was always first and foremost throughout her life. She met her husband, Andrew, while both were in high school in different cities, and they were married on September 30, 1962, shortly after she graduated from USC. Their three children and six grandchildren have always played the most important role in her life-Andrea Turner (Bill), Harry Demos (Lindsey), Deborah Jonas, and the undeniable lights of her life, grandchildren Andrew Basil Turner, Hannah Hall Demos Lynch (Foster), Sarah Catherine Demos, James Crawford Turner, Peter Christopher Jonas (Virginia), and Helena Anne Jonas, and great-grandson John Banks Lynch. Having her grandchildren in the same town growing up allowed her to take them to concerts, plays, museums, restaurants, art galleries, movies, and spend-the-night parties. Very often, she took on the role of their "camp director." She rarely missed a recital, performance, or sporting event where one of her grandchildren appeared. Her greatest passion was being a loving wife, mother, Yiayia, aunt, cousin, and friend. Her greatest delight was being a hostess when her entire family was gathered, and she loved that her children, their spouses, and their children got together often and enjoyed one another's company. Nitsa and Andrew enjoyed traveling together and would go on trips as often as possible, whether in the USA and its national parks, South America, Central America, the Caribbean islands, Africa, Europe, the Canadian Rockies, cross-country Canada, Russia, and the countries surrounding the Balkan Sea.

Nitsa is also survived by her sister-in-law, Angeline Demos Zervos; brother-in-law, Stanley P. Papajohn; godson, James C. Siokos; and many beloved cousins.

Memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Building or General Fund, St. Irene's Philoptochos, or Rev. Nicholas Trivelas Library and Book Store, all at 34 Race Street, Charleston, SC 29403.

"Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." - Psalm 37:5