Marina Balkas
Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister;
Our beautiful and beloved mother Marina, joined her loving and devoted husband George and fell into Gods arms, on Thursday, June 22,2023, at her childhood home in Dracut, surrounded by her caring and dutiful daughters.
Marina, born in Lowell Ma, was the only daughter of the late Spiros and the late Photine Sintros. and the wife of the late George P. Balkas. Marina received her associates degree from Wheelock College as well as her BA in Early Childhood Education from Salem State University. Family, children and education were always very important to her, which is why she received the Annual Teaching Excellency Award at the Statehouse in Boston from the Massachusetts Association for Community Action because of her commitment to her students in her pre-school teaching role at Lowell Community Teamwork.
Marina was also a faithful parishioner of the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior in Lowell, MA. She taught Sunday school for twenty years, as well as being a member of the church’s Ladies Philoptochos Society. She also served as chairman of one of their very successful Christmas Teas, as well as volunteering countless hours at the church’s Greek Festivals.
Marina is survived by her four children, Jeanne Balkas of Dracut, Fotina Balkas and her significant other Nicholas Roggotis of Dracut, Rev. Peter G. Balkas and his wife, Karen of Kansas City ,MO. and Amelia Hoffman and her husband, Eric of Burlington, MA; seven grandchildren, Christina Sutherland and her husband, Michael of Groton, Atty. Jennie Balkas, George Balkas and his wife Emily of Chicago, and Dr. Joseph Hoffman, Jared, James and John Hoffman of Burlington; and three great grandchildren Emma, Hannah, and Peter. Her three brothers Christopher Sintros and his wife, Marina of Pelham NH, Spiros Sintros, Jr. and his wife, Olivia of Andover, and the late Peter Sintros.
The Family would also like to thank the great medical care and compassion their beloved mother received by Dr. Jessica Wieselquist, MD, as well as her dedicated staff at Stony Brook Primary Care, as well as Tufts Medicine Care at Home.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Service to be held on Monday June 26, 2023 at the TRANSFIGURATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH at 11 o'clock. Burial to follow at the Westlawn Cemetery in Lowell. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church, 25 Father John Sarantos Way, Lowell, MA 01854. Arrangements by the O'DONNELL FUNERAL HOME - LOWELL - MA - 978-458-8768.
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