Aglaia H. Rouvalis, 92

MEREDITH — Aglaia Hope Rouvalis, 92, died on May 21, 2024, at home surrounded by family. She was a loving mother, devoted wife, a gracious host to relatives, and a friend to all.

Born on March 29, 1932, in Peabody, Massachusetts, one of five children to Orestes and Hariclea (Calomiris) Vontzalides, she graduated from Simmons College with a science degree. She worked at Harvard Medical School, often telling stories of running heart tissue samples across Commonwealth Avenue from surgery to the laboratories.

She had a lifelong interest in travel and new places. Before she married, she drove across the country, visiting many national parks and relatives along the way (and also delivering home-made ouzo to California family). Her travels also took her around the country, Greece, Turkey and wherever her children’s travels took them.

Aglaia married Charles Rouvalis on Halloween 1954. They moved to Meredith to own and operate the Bay Shore Deli, later known for its potato salad and Greek grinders. They became fixtures in the town, for the Deli, and for Aglaia’s teaching kindergarten and fifth grade at Inter-Lakes Elementary School for 20 years. Aglaia was instrumental in helping Meredith to establish kindergarten in the 1960s. She had an uncanny ability to remember the names of seasonal customers, many of whom became life-long friends, and her students, long after they had grown to adulthood. All the while, she and Charlie raised and educated five children.

Aglaia was an active member of the Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church and its Philoptochos Society. After retirement from teaching, she worked for the local visiting nurses office. She was also an active member of the Lions Club.

She was predeceased by her husband, Charles Rouvalis, and her siblings, Anne Valaskatgis, Mary Brown, and Aristotle “Porky” Vontzalides. She is survived by her sister Helen Goeckler, and her children Erica Rouvalis (Daniel Dugan), Pam Scranton (Chris), Tina Rouvalis, Mark Rouvalis (Cynthia) and Elena Otto (Christian). She was an attentive grandmother to 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

We will miss her greatly.

Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, in the Carriage House at Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 31, at Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church, 811 N. Main St., Laconia, followed by burial in Oakland Cemetery in Meredith.

For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Taxiarchai Greek Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 86, Laconia, taxiarchainh.org, or the Meredith Lions Club, P.O. Box 1357, Meredith, NH 03253, e-clubhouse.org/sites/meredith/page-8.php.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, Laconia, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, visit wilkinsonbeane.com.