Despina Berberian passed away peacefully at the age of 94 in her home surrounded by family on January 25, 2021 in Houston, Texas. She was born on September 1, 1926 in Katerini, Greece to Savvas and Rodama Stefanidis.
Despina survived a traumatic childhood during WWII when the Germans invaded their family’s home. They imprisoned her father and sent her sister to a concentration camp. She would talk about these memories so vividly. She remembered taking only one guitar lesson because they invaded the next day. She remembers how scary it was for her and how her life would be forever changed.
The war would teach her to be resilient. She would overcome all the obstacles life threw her way. She became a strong woman who could get through anything.
Despina married the love of her life, Lazarus (Larry) Berberian on May 2, 1952. This began her life’s happy adventure. They moved to Sao Paolo Brazil in 1954 with their 6-month-old daughter for a better life. In 1959, they moved one last time to Houston, Texas to be near her family.
Despina had so many remarkable characteristics. She was a well-rounded woman with such a passion for life. She was a homemaker in the true sense of the word. She took care of Larry like a fairytale wife attending to his every need and making sure he was happy. She raised their three children and their granddaughter, who considers Despina to be her mother. Despina would be known as Yiayia (grandma) by so many. She tended to her home with a genuine and sincere love. Despina believed this was her purpose and she worked harder than anyone.
Despina never walked into anyone’s home without a gift, usually food. She cooked every meal from scratch every day. She loved to cook, and she was amazing at it. She would make a meal large enough to feed an army for family gatherings because if she did not, “etane dropie” (it was an embarrassment).
Despina loved to laugh and absolutely loved music and dancing. At the sound of a beat her feet would start tapping and her hands would start clapping. Music could keep her up all night, all the way to her last days.
She spoke many languages from living around the world and being exposed to many cultures. She spoke Greek, English, Spanish, Turkish, German, and Portuguese.
Yiayia would do ANYTHING for her family. By anything, I mean she made Papou do it. Ha! But truthfully, she did so much for everyone. She would give you the shirt off her back.
She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her daughters, Zaharoula Bourboulas, Rose Berberian; son, Dikran Savvas Berberian; son-in-law, Kenneth Wilkerson; grandchildren, Eleni Despina Brooks & husband Craig Brooks, and Kenneth Carter “KC” Wilkerson; great-grandson, Zachary David Rayner; and numerous nieces, nephew, cousins, friends, and extended family.
Despina was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Lazarus Dikran Berberian of Constantinople, Turkey; her mother Rodama Amanatidis Stefanidis and father Savvas Stefanidis, her brothers Zacharia Stefanidis and Harry Stefanidis, and her sisters Soula Molho and Evo Stefanidis, all from Katerini Greece.
Services will be on Monday, February 1, 2021; the viewing from 11 am to 12 pm and the funeral service from 12 pm to 12:30 pm at St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Eldridge Parkway, Houston, TX 77077. Burial will commence at Forest Park Westheimer following services.
Flowers are welcome, Beresford Funeral Service, 13501 Alief Clodine Road, Houston, TX 77082. Donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/donate
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