Elpida S. Milias, a very warm, talented and wonderful lady died on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at Holy Trinity Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was 83 years old and was the daughter of the late Evangelin and Peter Sarando of Worcester, MA. She is survived by her husband Emmanuel "Manny" Milias; and her sister Minerva and her husband G. Bradford Davis of Poughkeepsie NY, many nephews, nieces and great-nephews and great-nieces. She was predeceased by her sisters Ariadne Kostarides and Loukia Bitsas and two brothers Pericles and Stephen Sarando.
Elpida attended the Worcester Public Schools and received a B.S. and a M.S. degree in music from Boston University with a major in piano .She was a member of the Honorary Education Society, Delta Kappa Gamma. Her career as a teacher of music in the Worcester Public Schools began in 1952 and ended in 1989 with her retirement. She was nominated as Teacher of the Year in 1984. In addition to her years of teaching in the public schools she was a guest lecturer at both Clark University and Anna Maria College.
A member of St. Spyridon Cathedral, she directed the Cathedral Choir for over 50 years and retired in 2006. She was the co-director of the combined choirs for the Annual Pan-Orthodox Liturgies of the 1950’s and was a former member of the faculty of the New England Federation of the Greek Orthodox Church Choirs summer program. In 1983 she was awarded the Medal of St. Paul, and in 1988 the Certificate of Long Time Service as a choir director and the Medal of St. Romanos the Melodian for outstanding musical contribution to the Greek Orthodox Community of North and South America.
She was the recipient of the Diocese of Boston Laity Award for her service to the Cathedral and was a member and past-president of the Cathedral Ladies’ Philoptochos Society and Vice-President of the Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Society. She also served as co-chairperson of the 1976 and 1982 Grecian Festivals and was a former member of the St. Spyridon Girl Scout Troop Committee. She was the Cathedral representative to the Worcester Interfaith Coalition of the Homeless. Elpida was also one of the founding members of the Hellenic Arts Society.
She was a former member and past-president of the Friends of the Retarded, the Boston University Women’s Club and the Worcester High School Teachers Association. She was a member and past-president of the Mass. Needlepoint Group and the Central Mass. Chapter of the Embroiders’ Guild of America and its current Newsletter Editor; her beautiful embroideries adorn the walls of her home. Her many professional and community affiliations also included the Mass. Teachers Association, Educational Association of Worcester, Music Educators National Conference and the Worcester Art Museum.
Calling hours at O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue will be on Wednesday, August 28th from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will take place at St. Spyridon Cathedral, 102 Russell Street on Thursday, August 29th at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Hope Cemetery.
Donations may be made to St. Spyridon Cathedral, or to Holy Trinity Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 300 Barber Avenue, Worcester, MA 01606.