ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ. Η «Μάνα» των Μανάδων των θυμάτων της τρομοκρατικής επίθεσης της 11ης Σεπτεμβρίου 2001 στο Παγκόσμιο Κέντρο Εμπορίου της Νέας Υόρκης, όπως είθισται να αποκαλούμε την Ζωή Κουσούλη (Zoë Kousoulis) δεν υπάρχει πια ανάμεσά μας.
Την Κυριακή, 15η Φεβρουαρίου 2026, άφησε την τελευταία της πνοή σε ηλικία 85 ετών έχοντας στο πλευρό της τον σύζυγο και συναγωνιστή Γιώργο Κουσούλη, τα παιδιά της Faith, Eleni και Peter και τους συζύγους τους, τα εγγόνια, Amalia, Liam, and Nicholas, τις αδελφές, τα ανίψια και τα ξαδέλφια.
Η Ζωή και ο Γιώργος Κουσούλης, την αποφράδα ημέρα της 11ης Σεπτεμβρίου 2001, έχασαν την γη κάτω από τα πόδια, διότι η κόρη τους Ντανιέλ άφησε την τελευταία της πνοή στα συντρίμμια των πάλαι ποτέ Δίδυμων Πύργων της Νέας Υόρκης.
Τους γνωρίσαμε λίγες μέρες μετά το τραγικό συμβάν στα μνημόσυνα και στις εκδηλώσεις μνήμης για τα θύματα της 11ης Σεπτεμβρίου κρατώντας την φωτογραφία της πολυαγαπημένης τους κόρης.
Αν και πέρασε ένα τέταρτο του αιώνα από την αποφράδα εκείνη ημέρα, εν τούτοις ο Γιώργος και η Ζωή ήταν και παρέμειναν μέχρι και προχθές τα σύμβολα των οικογενειών των θυμάτων της 11ης Σεπτεμβρίου 2001.
Τα 25 τελευταία χρόνια έφεραν έντονα στο προσκήνιο την φιλανθρωπία και την φιλαλληλία των χαροκαμένων γονέων και πάνω από όλα την απόφασή τους να διατηρήσουν ζωντανή τη μνήμη της κόρης τους.
Την ίδια χρονιά ίδρυσαν ταμείο υποτροφιών στη μνήμη της κόρη τους. Με τις δωρεές τους ανακαινίστηκε το πολιτιστικό κέντρο της κοινότητας του Αγίου Θωμά στο Τσέρι Χιλ της Νέας Ιερσέης και η κοινότητα ανταπέδωσε με την ονοματοδοσία του Κέντρου σε Πολιτιστικό Κέντρο «Ντανιέλ Κουσούλη».
Οι δωρεές διαδέχτηκαν η μία την άλλη και ο Γιώργος και η Ζωή Κουσούλη κατέκτησαν εξέχουσα θέση στον μακρύ κατάλογο των ευεργετών και των δωρητών της κοινότητας.
Η τελευταία και μια από τις μεγαλύτερες δωρεές του Γιώργου και της Ζωής Κουσούλη ήταν η χρηματοδότηση της αγιογράφησης του Παντοκράτορα του περικαλλή ναό του Αγίου Θωμά.
Η αγιογράφηση, όπως έγραψαν οι «Αναμνήσεις», παραδόθηκε την Τετάρτη, 18η Φεβρουαρίου 2026, και οι ηγέτες της κοινότητας αναφέρθηκαν στην δωρεά της Ζωής και κάλεσαν τα στελέχη και τα μέλη το πρωί της Τετάρτης, 25ης Φεβρουαρίου 2025 να παραστούν στην κηδεία της και να της απευθύνουν μαζί με την οικογένεια το στερνό αντίο.
Παραθέτουμε το πλήρες κείμενο της ανακοίνωσης της οικογένειας που αναρτήθηκε στην ιστοσελίδα του Γραφείου Τελετών «Murray-Paradee Funeral Home» που ανέλαβε την ευθύνη της διοργάνωσης της κηδείας της.
Zoë Kousoulis Obituary
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Zoë Kousoulis (nee Pappas), on February 15, 2026.
Born on July 3, 1940, in Woodbury, New Jersey, and raised in Thorofare, New Jersey, she was the beloved daughter of Greek immigrants Daniel and Helen Theodoris Pappas. She is a graduate of Paulsboro High School where she excelled academically and athletically, earning Varsity letters in field hockey, basketball, tennis and cheerleading.
She was also a terrific dancer, being voted “best dancer” by her senior high school class. Upon graduating, she worked as a secretary to the assistant treasurer at Atlantic Richfield Company in Philadelphia, PA.
Later in life, she earned her paralegal degree from Harris School of Business, Cherry Hill, NJ, with her later employment including jobs as a legal secretary, paralegal, and medical biller.
Zoë was truly the heart of her family. She dedicated her life to her family, her church and her community. Selfless and generous, she always put others before herself and was the first to volunteer whenever help was needed.
Her love was steady, unconditional, and felt by everyone who knew her. Her home was always open, and her presence brought comfort and warmth to those around her.
She was an incredible baker, and her kitchen was a place of warmth and joy. Family and friends eagerly looked forward to her homemade Greek pastries and cakes, which she made not just with skill, but with love. Sharing her food was one of the many ways she shared her heart.
Her Greek Orthodox faith was a guiding force throughout her life. First at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Elkins Park, NJ, where she sang in the choir and was National President of the Maids of Athena, a part of the AHEPA, and later as a member at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill, NJ. In 1965, her position as President of the Maids of Athena took her to Greece for one of their conventions.
While in Greece, she met and later married a wonderful man born and raised in Elika, Laconia, Greece, George. P. Kousoulis, with whom she would celebrate over 60 years of marriage. Together they raised four children.
While raising their children, Zoe helped George in his many restaurant ventures, most notably Zoe’s Sandwich Shoppe in Haddonfield, NJ, which they ran together from 1983-1996 with summer help from their children.
At the time of her death, she was an active and devoted member of St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church, singing joyfully in the choir, participating in numerous church organizations, and working tirelessly for their Greek Agora fesitval, among other church events and fundraising activities for the church.
She was a proud member of the Daughters of Penelope and the St. Irene Philoptochos Society, where she formed lasting friendships and gave generously of her time in service to others.
Proud of her Greek roots, she was elected grand marshal of Greek Independence Day parade in Philadelphia, PA, in 2015.
Zoë loved following all the Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Phillies, and was an avid bridge player active in many different bridge groups. She also loved a good game of Scrabble, playing Words with Friends, and completing the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle.
Beyond her devotion to her family and her numerous passions, Zoe and George enjoyed returning to Greece to spend their summers in Elika, Greece, something she treasured, always enjoying her time there relaxing and visiting friends and family.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years George, her children Faith (Sean), Eleni (Rafael), and Peter, her grandchildren Amalia, Liam, and Nicholas, her sisters Francesca (Anthony) and Katina (Anthony), and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Danielle, who was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Zoë will be remembered for her generous spirit, her wisdom, and the deep love she shared with her husband, children and grandchildren. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church at 615 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, NJ.
Funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m., with interment at Locustwood Memorial Park Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Zoë’s memory can be made to the Building Fund at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church by contacting 856-6651731 or to the Danielle Kousoulis Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.daniellekousoulisfund.org.
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