Obituary of Father E. Anthony Tomaras

Fr. Anthony Tomaras departed this life on Christmas Day, 2012, in Gig Harbor, WA. He was 86 years old. Father Anthony was born Euripedes Demetrios Tomaras in Chicago on Dec. 11, 1926, the youngest child of Anthony Haralambos and Irene Brotsos Tomaras. He graduated from Senn High School in Chicago and attended the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School in Pomfret, CT. He married Sophronia Nickolaou on March 1, 1956. She was the love of his life. She joined him in Greece, where he completed his theological studies at the University of Athens in 1958, with a Master's Degree in Systematic Theology. Father Anthony was ordained by Bishop Ezekiel Tsoukalas on Sept. 14, 1958, at his home parish of St. Andrew in Chicago, taking his father's name at the ordination. He served as assistant priest at the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, CA for 18 months before his assignment to St. Nicholas Church in Tacoma where he served for 19 years. During his tenure at St. Nicholas, in addition to the many many services and sacraments that he performed, he initiated the annual Greek Festival and oversaw the renovation of the church and the building of the new educational wing and social hall. Father Anthony was involved in the Hilltop Ministerial Association. After leaving St. Nicholas, Father Anthony served as the founding director of the Northwest Orthodox Youth Foundation and the All Saints Camp. He and Presvytera ran the camp for many years, organizing youth camp sessions and iconography workshops. Father Anthony loved building things and using his woodworking tools, preparing all the boards used to paint icons under Presvytera Sophronia's tutelage. Father and Presvytera founded the St. Nectarios mission in Pasco, WA in 1979, serving liturgy twice a month. They estimated that they drove over 360,000 miles from their home to Pasco and back over those 20 years. Father served as interim pastor at St. Sophia Church in Bellingham, WA and also served the first liturgy for the nuns at the St. John the Forerunner Monastery in Goldendale, WA. Father was a lover of education, and proudly supported his wife Presvytera Sophronia in her pursuit of higher education, and the education of his children Irene and Charles, and his beloved granddaughters. The day Presvytera received her doctorate from the University of Washington in 1980 was one of the proudest and happiest days of his life. In 2011, Father made a donation to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center to build a school in Lodwar, Turkana, Kenya in Presvytera Sophronia's memory. Father loved cooking and hosting parties at his home, welcoming friends, parishioners, clergy families, camp staff members, and parents from the Camp Agape program. Over the years, Father Anthony's purchases of ecclesiastical furnishings, restaurant supplies, and pieces of equipment have found homes in many of the churches in the Northwest. Father was preceded in death by his beloved Presvytera Sophronia in 2007, his parents, and his sister, Presvytera Theano Rexinis. He is survived by his brother Harry Tomaras, his son Charles, daughter and son-in-law Presvytera Irene and Fr. Stephen Supica, and granddaughters Sophronia and Elizabeth Supica, sister-in-law Mary Bolas, and nieces, nephews, and godchildren. Special thanks to John and Judy Godulas who have shared Father Anthony's home and life for the past year and a half. The Trisagion Service will be held on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. conducted by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos. On Thursday, January 3, Orthros will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy at 8:30 a.m. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., followed by the meal of remembrance. All services and receptions will be held at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1523 S. Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, WA. Burial will be held at the Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery in Seattle, WA. Piper-Morley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Please see Father Anthony's memorial website at: http://www.christianmemorials.com/tributes/euripides-tomaras/ Memorial donations may be made to the priest fund of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, 627 West Bonneville, Pasco, WA 99301