Obituary of Mary Michielli

Mary Michielli entered eternal peace on June 14, 2023 surrounded by family and free of pain. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother but known by all as “Mary The Greek” or “Yia Yia.”

Mary was born on July 20, 1927, to Efthemios and Regula (née Laslopoulous) in Manhattan, New York. On June 7, 1953, she married Ralph Michielli. On January 10, 1956, Ralph and Mary welcomed Maria. On December 2, 1958, they welcome Steven. Soon thereafter, an extended nuclear family of the Michielli’s, the Stavropoulos’ and Helen aka Thea Helen moved from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to Leland Ave in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx. In 1979, Ralph and Mary moved to Halstead Avenue in Yonkers, where Mary lived for the rest of her days, happily surrounded by family and (Irish) friends.

Mary was certainly one of a kind. She rarely took no for an answer, for better or for worse. But outside her, at times, intransigent exterior, she was the matriarch of her family, long before she was the last pillar. Her life was a tour de force of tradition and a fierce defender of those closest to her. We would be remiss not to mention her kitchen, which was full service 24/7, 365, with everything from breakfast early in the morning and late at night, through after dinner and after-dinner baked, Greek specialties. In addition to her baking, she was known for her seamstress ability, feisty attitude and quick wit, which persisted to the very end.

She is predeceased by her husband Ralph, daughter Maria, and sisters Helen, Bertha and Diamond. She leaves behind her son, Steven, daughter in law Regina, grandsons Ralph and Francis, granddaughter in law Clare, and great grandchildren Francis, Theodore and Minerva.

Services will be held at Edwards-Dowdle Funeral Home in Dobbs Ferry, NY, on Friday June 16, 2023, from 2-5pm and 7-9pm. Funeral mass will be held at 10am at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church  in New Rochelle, New York, with burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Mary’s name to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church via the link below.

https://www.holytrinitynr.org/donate