Penelope "Penny" J. Hiotas

Penelope J. Hiotas, 78, of Newport passed away Friday, January 30, 2015 at Rhode Island Hospital.Born on September 2, 1936 in Newport, RI, she was the daughter of the late Demetrios and Mersina (Karakla) Hiotas. Penelope worked many years for the Warwick School Department. She was an active member of St. Spyridon's Church where she was a Co-Chairman of the St. Spyridon Soup Kitchen serving thousands of meals to the hungry of Newport. She also served as the Secretary of the St. Spyridon Parish Council, Chairman of the Cultural Booth at the Hellenic Festival for many years, member of the St. Spyridon 100th Anniversary Celebration Committee, a longtime member of the church choir, and a committee member of the Island of Skiathos Sister City Program, President of the Newport Chapter of the Daughters of Penelope and served on the District level as well as chaired many functions of the chapter and has visited the shut-ins of the community for many yearsPenny was considered the "Go To" Lady for her Church, she was always ready to volunteer to do anything to help. One of her proudest moments is when she received the Laity Award from the Metropolis of Boston.She is survived by her children, George J. Kanary and his wife Robin of Peace Dale, RI and Marlene Medeiros and her husband Steven of Newport, RI, her brother Charles J. Hiotas of Grand Rapids, MI. She was the loving and devoted Yia Yia to her grandchildren, Katherine Medeiros, Josephine Medeiros, Andrea Kanary Jaxon Kanary and Elliott Italiano.She was the sister of the late Stanley Hiotas.Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2015, from 3-7pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.Her funeral will be held on Friday, February 6, 2015, at 10:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway, Newport followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00am in St. Spyridons Greek Orthodox Church, Thames Street, Newport.Burial will be in Middletown Cemetery, Corner of Turner and Wyatt Roads, Middletown.Donations in her memory may be made to RI Hospital Foundation, Cancer Center, PO Box H., Providence, RI 02901 or to St. Spyridon's Church Greek Orthodox Church, PO Box 427, Newport, RI 02840. Cemetery Details Middletown Four Corners Cemetery Turner and Wyatt Roads Middletown, RI, 02842 Visitation FEB 5. 03:00 PM - 07:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service FEB 6. 11:00 AM St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church 390 Thames Street Newport, RI, US, 02840