Eleni "Helen" Exarchos 99 was born on March 4, 1924 in the living room of her parents' two room home in the small mountain village of Kallithéa also known as Charaklimani, located in Epirus, Greece. The third of five children born to Theodoros and Angeliki (Mpinka) Maretsis. Eleni and the Maretsis family were no strangers to hardship as they labored to provide food and shelter for each other in the unforgiving Pindus mountain terrain. Despite their limited resources their faith in God and family provided them with the meaning and purpose necessary to prosper both physically and spiritually. This peaceful existence would soon be disrupted by forces outside their control that would change Eleni's life forever.

At just 16 years old, Eleni saw the fascist forces of Mussolini advance into Epirus but that incursion to the surprise of the entire world was repelled by the heroic fighting of the Greek armed forces, however such victory against the fascists was short-lived as the German army followed soon thereafter with an invasion of their own.

Eleni and her family survived the duration of World War II by living off their livestock and small garden all while providing what aid they could to the Greek resistance fighters.  When the war ended in 1946, what hope existed for a return to more peaceful times was quickly shattered by a new set of horrors that would soon befall Eleni and her fellow villagers. These horrors would not come from a foreign threat, but instead at the hands of fellow Greeks, seduced by the morally bankrupt teachings of communist ideology. These indoctrinated young men and women now weaponized their misguided principals of equity against their fellow villagers and countrymen resulting in a bloody civil war. After witnessing the torture of her younger brother Ioannis Maretsis and the execution of three elderly women in her village square at the hands of the communist guerrillas, Eleni made the difficult decision to flee her village and ancestral home, knowing if she was caught attempting to leave the utopian society the communists were promising, she would face the most dire of consequences.

By pure grit, determination and the grace of God, Eleni was able to escape the communist occupied territories and alone managed to traverse the difficult mountain terrain to the safety of Ioannina the capital city of Epirus.

Upon conclusion of the civil war and once again in her village, Eleni met a young man named Apostolos Exarchos whom had come to her village to purchase a horse from Eleni's mother. Struck by her beauty Apostolos was surprised to learn that Eleni was not spoken for.  In those days at 27 years of age it was almost unheard for women to be unmarried.  But Eleni was different.  She refused to accept any marriage proposals that required a dowry as was customary at the time.  As Eleni would often recount, "I would not and I could not put that burden on my mother and brothers."

Upon hearing this, Apostolos immediately asked for Eleni's hand in marriage and since he wanted nothing in return except for Eleni's love, Eleni accepted and the two were wed in October of 1952. They remained married for 53 years until Apostolos passing in 2005.

Eleni and Apostolos had two daughters Christine (Hrisoula) and Angela (Angeliki), but when their daughters were just three and one years old respectively, Apostolos's cousin, Georgios Exarchos, having recently returned from America presented Eleni and Apostolos with the opportunity of a lifetime. As Eleni recounted, Georgios asked her, if he were to sponsor Apostolos to come to America would Eleni follow and as Eleni would so proudly re-tell to her family over the years, "wherever my husband shall go, I will follow", and with that commitment to follow and be there for her husband no matter what journey their lives would take Eleni and her family soon found themselves in their new home, the land of opportunity and freedom, America.

They settled in Worcester, Massachusetts where they were embraced by the local Greek community and found a spiritual home at St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church.  Eleni raised her family in the multicultural Main South section of Worcester, which at the time was a vibrant community made of predominantly Irish, Italian and French immigrants that all helped each other in immeasurable ways. These giving and loving neighbors amongst others included the Dyers, the Balestraccis, the Ryans and the Kimballs.

Eleni dedicated herself to raising her daughters and instilling in them the values of the Greek Orthodox faith and culture with a strong love and respect for their new country and the opportunities it offered them.

Eleni, even though she was not granted the opportunity to learn how to read and write in her native Greece, she always emphasized the importance of education to her daughters and grandchildren, but while she could not read bedtime stories to them, she could instead recite stories in accordance with the Homeric oral tradition of her ancestors, rich in detail and with the purpose of teaching her children and grandchildren the importance of faith, family and freedom.

Eleni was an avid gardener as evidence by her sprawling garden that consisted of bean stalks, grapevines, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers, as well as beautiful flowers. She loved to knit scarfs and mittens for her loved ones, but more than anything she enjoyed cooking for her family. The aroma of homemade Greek specialties always filled her home.  Eleni's hospitality was second to none.  When visiting Eleni's home you would never be without a drink in hand or food on your plate, or with something to take home. She also loved entertaining and hosting friends and family and would ready to do so a moment's notice.

Eleni was also known for her beautiful singing voice as she often sang traditional folklore songs of Epirus to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren through her years.

She enjoyed spending her summers visiting her homeland, vacations on the Cape and countless picnics at Quinsigamond State Park with extended family and friends. Her most treasured time was spent with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be remembered as the kindest, sweetest most loving mom of two, grandmother to six, and great grandmother to nine.

Eleni found pure joy in being with her family. She spent endless time taking care of her grandchildren. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and always spoke kindly about everyone.

Eleni passed away at home in her sleep on March 27, 2023. She was predeceased by her parents Theodoros and Angeliki Maretsis, her brothers Dimitrios, Ioannis and Georgios Maretsis and her sister Maria Ntoumi. Eleni is survived by her two daughters Christine Kitsilis and Angela Exarchos, her grandson, Vasilios (Bill) Kitsilis and his fiancé Alicia Carmody and their daughter Celina, her grandson Apostolos (Paul) Kitsilis, her granddaughter Alexandria Kitsilis Cardoso and her husband Daniel Cardoso and their sons Cruz and Cristiano, her granddaughter Stephanie Piraino and her fiancé Taron Myles and their five children Eva, Violet, Taron Jr., Estelle and Thyos, her grandson John Piraino and his fiancé Erica Delgado and their daughter Sunday and her grandson Nickolas Piraino.

Services will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of the J. J. Duffy Funeral Home, 757 Mendon Road Cumberland, RI. In lieu of flowers please consider donating in Eleni's name to Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral 102 Russell Street, Worcester MA 01609.