Joyce Angela (Skentzos) Coulouris

Joyce A. (Skentzos) Coulouris of Saginaw, Michigan

Went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Covenant HealthCare-Cooper, at the age of 94 years. Ephrosini Angela Skentzos was born on November 11, 1930, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Spiro “Sam” and Athamandia “Diamond” (Mihopoulos) Skentzos. In 1930, the family relocated to Saginaw, Michigan, where Joyce was raised and remained her entire life. She proudly attended Saginaw Public Schools and Arthur Hill High School. Through her family, Joyce met Larry A. Coulouris, a Canadian native from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The two were married July 31, 1949, in Saginaw, Michigan; he preceded her in death on August 30, 2016. She was a lifetime and faithful member of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. The core of her being was the kitchen and everything it entailed. It was her sanctuary, a place where she found peace and joy, cooking, baking, and opening her home to company. Unafraid to experiment, she approached everything she cooked or baked with fearless creativity. Joyce’s love for family and friends was displayed through her generosity. She always kept a stash of thoughtful gifts on hand, small tokens of care meant for loved ones, dear neighbors, and lifelong friends. Letter writing and sending cards were woven into the fabric of her life, each note a reflection of her thoughtfulness and grace. Joyce was a woman of curiosity, creativity, and had a profound appreciation for animals, nature, and history. She delighted in growing tomatoes and found equal joy in watching films, from timeless classics on Turner to the excitement of contemporary action movies. For 50 years, Joyce could be found walking from her home to Bill’s Party Store on Mackinaw Street where she purchased her morning coffee and newspaper. She had an eye for beauty and a soul to match: lovely inside and out. Selfless and patient, Joyce had a strong faith and loved Jesus deeply. To know Joyce was to know kindness without condition. She was selfless, without guile, a pure and beautiful soul who never spoke badly about anyone; a true light to those she loved and cherished. Joyce’s love of God and people truly carried her throughout her long and full life. She embodied the meaning of her Greek name Ephrosini, which means “joy.”

Surviving are four children: Diana Matina of CA; Andrew Coulouris of Saginaw; Joanne (Randy T.) Terrian of Thomas Township; James Thomas (Peggy) Coulouris of Essexville; four grandchildren: Andrew (Natasha) Coulouris of Ann Arbor; Ann (Sean) Miller of Pittsburgh; Katelyn (Aaron) Aikens of Bay City; Karolyn Coulouris of Essexville; four great-grandchildren: Alexandra and Mia Coulouris of Ann Arbor; Carson and Laney Aikens of Bay City; four sisters and a brother: Maria Metropoulos of Saginaw; Angela Paulos of Dallas, TX; Sophia (Randal P.) McMillion of Aurora, CO; Constantine W. Skentzos of AZ; Diana (Rodger) Alexander of Bloomington, IN; a sister-in-law, Sandra Suzanne Skentzos of Saginaw; three special cousins, Helen Banos, Lilian Pantos, and Pauline Skinner all of Ann Arbor; a special friend, Diane Stack. Also surviving are countless nieces, nephews, extended family, and dear friends too numerous to mention, but held closely to her heart.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Diamond Skentzos; a daughter-in-law, Vicki Coulouris; a brother, George Skentzos; two brothers-in-law, Peter Metropoulos; James Paulos; and a sister-in-law, Anna Skentzos.

Honoring Joyce’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the W. L. Case and Company Funeral Directors, 4480 Mackinaw Rd., Saginaw, MI 48603. Rev. William W. Hessler will officiate. Friends are welcome to visit with the family at the funeral home on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathies to the Daughters of Penelope or the Philoptochos Society at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. Please share your thoughts and memories with the family at the funeral home or through www.casefuneralhome.com.