Suzanne Vithoulkas

Suzanne Vithoulkas was born February 27, 1941 in Matador, Texas to Joseph Albert and Suetta Rushing. She died in Abilene, Texas on May 9, 2014 surrounded by the love of family and friends. A service is scheduled for 4:00 pm Tuesday May the 13th in the Piersall Chapel, 733 Butternut St. A visitation with the family will be held from 3:00-4:00 pm at the funeral home prior to the service.

For nearly 30 years Suzanne lived in Athens, Greece with her husband Spiros. She loved everything about her adopted country – the food, the culture, the people, the islands and the sea. Suzanne never met a stranger and was always ready to offer hospitality. Her professional life there was devoted to the holistic approach to healthcare and medicine. Her compassionate nature was one of her greatest strengths.

She moved back to the United States in 2009 to Ypsilanti, Michigan. She was active in the Greek community there, particularly St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor. Spiros maintained their home in Greece, with extended visits to Michigan.

Last May she moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky where she lived until January of this year, when she came to Texas, making her home at Royal Estates Retirement Community. She was excited about her new home in Abilene, but shortly after her move, she was seriously injured in a fall.

Suzanne is survived by the family she loved so much, including her husband, Spiros Vithoulkas, of Ekali, Greece; brothers Joe (Nancy) Rushing and Mike (Karen) Rushing of Cooper, Texas; 4 daughters: Suzetta (Bob) Nutt (Abilene), LaWaun Hance (Michigan), Marcella (David) Best (Kentucky), and Crystal Hance (Ohio), plus 6 beloved grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Her Vithoulkas children include Irene, Gina, Angela, and Gus (Virginia, Florida, Maryland), plus many loving grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many friends mourn her passing from around the world.