Mary "Angela" Makrides

Mary “Angela” Makrides, 88, of Delmont, Pennsylvania, passed away on Sunday, December 21, 2025. Born in Fitzgerald, Georgia, she was the daughter of Greek immigrants, Vassilios “Bill” and Fannie Pope. Angela grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of town, where she learned the enduring values of hard work, family, and perseverance—principles that shaped her character throughout her life.

Upon graduating from high school, Angela attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, Georgia. There, she began to broaden her world beyond her close-knit hometown. She graduated with a degree in Education, preparing her for a lifelong profession as an elementary school teacher.

In 1959, Angela met her “sweetheart,” Nick Makrides, through a family acquaintance. They were married that August and began their life together in Delmont, Pennsylvania. It was there that they started their family, welcoming their son Nicholas in 1960 and their daughter Kathy in 1962. In 1963, Angela and her husband moved to Cleveland, Ohio, following his transfer with United States Steel.

While living in Cleveland, Angela began her teaching career in 1965 at a Christian Day School on Lee Road, where she taught first grade. In a moment that reflected both her dedication as an educator and her devotion as a mother, she was also her son’s first-grade teacher in 1966.

In 1968, Angela and her family returned to Pennsylvania, where she continued her career as a second-grade teacher at Duff Elementary School in Export and later concluded her teaching career at Newlonsburg Elementary School. A beloved teacher, she taught hundreds of children over the years and was known for her keen memory and fond recollections of the students whose lives she touched. In 1999, she retired from teaching, concluding a distinguished 34-year career in education.

Angela was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She especially cherished her role as “Yia Yia” (grandmother) to her seven grandchildren. She enjoyed helping with tutoring and homeschooling and found great joy in cooking, baking, and reading. She often shared stories from her childhood with her grandchildren, delighting them with memories of a simpler time. A dedicated Christian, her faith was central to her life and guided her values and relationships.

Angela leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion, and quiet strength. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Nicholas “Nick” Makrides. She is survived by her brother, Thomas Pope (Corrie); her two children, Nicholas (Linda) Makrides of Manassas, Virginia, and Kathy (Jim) Gaffney of Delmont, Pennsylvania; seven beloved grandchildren—Hannah (Quinton) Roach, Matthew, Daniel, and Luke (Molly) Gaffney, and Alexis, Kaitlyn, and Lauren Makrides; four great-grandchildren, Penelope and Davey Gaffney, Lincoln Gaffney, and Olympia (Roach); and several beloved nieces and nephew. She also deeply appreciated the friendship and support of Sandra May and Susie Almgren throughout the years and was profoundly grateful for the compassionate care, kindness, and friendship shown to her by the staff and community at Concordia Nursing Home in Monroeville.

Celebration of her Life will be held at the New Life Presbyterian Church in Harrison City on January 24th at 11:00 AM.

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