Georgia Nicozisis

Georgia Nicozisis, 92, lovingly known to family and friends as “Vava”, passed away peacefully surrounded by love in the East Hempfield, Lancaster County PA home of her daughter and son in law, with whom she lived.

Georgia was born on February 28, 1934, in the mountainside village of Megalo Chorio, Evrytania, Greece, to Nikolaos Paspalaris and Ioulia Arapogiannis Paspalaris.

As a young woman, Georgia left her small village and traveled to Athens, where, despite having only a third-grade education, she passed a written examination and was accepted into nursing school. Excelling in her role as a nurse in an orthopedic hospital, she was asked to assist in the operating room. She soon realized she preferred to be bedside with the patients.

In 1959, at the age of 25, she came to the United States with her beloved younger sister Ioanna and lived in New York City with an aunt and extended family. Through family introductions she met and married her beloved husband George, with whom she shared 58 years of marriage.

She was a devoted homemaker and generously volunteered with various school, Boy Scout and Girl Scout activities, and church organizations.

She was a member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster County. During her years in New York, she was a member of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Kingsbridge and Riverdale, where she was an involved founding member and volunteer.

Georgia cherished her Greek heritage, family, faith and home. She enjoyed traveling, returning to her beloved village in Greece to visit family, and taking long drives to visit family and friends throughout the United States. Her greatest joys, however, were spending time with her beloved family and grandsons, who nicknamed her “Vava” as youngsters . She became the neighborhood “Vava”, always supplying the local children with Greek cookies, open arms and love.

She was proud of her magnificent vegetable garden, preparing delicious Greek meals, and gathering her family around the table. When her grandsons were young, she prepared weekly family Sunday dinners. Her spanakopita and tiropita will surely be missed, while the memories of meals at “Vava’s house” will remain lifelong treasures.

She enjoyed trips into nature and loved spending time at her daughter and son-in-law’s cabin in the woods, where the landscape and pine trees reminded her of her beloved village in Greece. She enjoyed needlepoint, embroidery and crocheting, and her home was filled with pieces she created since she was a young girl.

In her later years, she found pleasure in quiet time spent reading and doing puzzles. She could often be found in a shady corner of the yard, with pen in hand doing a word-find puzzle or reading.

She enjoyed staying active and always counting her steps during mall-walking trips.

During the past two years, her greatest joy came from the precious moments she shared with her “bestie,” her beloved great-granddaughter.

In addition to her husband, George, Georgia was preceded in death by her parents, Nikolaos and Ioulia Paspalaris; her sister, Joanna Skotidas.

She is survived by her children, daughter Eugenia “Jeannie” Kontis and her husband, Adam, with whom she lived; son Elefterios “Terry”Nicozisis and his wife, Aspasia; grandsons, Christian A. Kontis-Smith and his husband, Darrell, and Alexander G. Kontis and his wife, Jackie; her beloved great-granddaughter, June Maria; her brother, Demetrios Paspalaris and his wife, Katerina, of Arizona; and her beloved sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, along with many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11AM on Thursday, September 3, 2026 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603. Family and friends will be received from 10AM until the time of service. Interment will follow at Conestoga Memorial Park.

Georgia will be remembered for her strength, devotion to family, love of her Greek heritage, and the warmth she brought to every gathering. Her family will carry her memory forward through the traditions and stories she gave them.

“Vatata” - we love you Vava.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to tend a garden or plant a flower in Georgia’s memory, donate to a favorite cause, or make a contribution to the Ladies Philoptochos Society of Annunciation Church or the Association Megalohoriton of America.