Economou, Mary
ECONOMOU, Mary
February 28, 1937 – February 10, 2021
Mary Sigrid Hoekstra Economou, age 83, passed away peacefully of natural causes on February 10, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas.
Mary grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and lived in Chicago, Illinois and later Valparaiso, Indiana, before moving to Texas. She attended Earlham College and graduated with honors from Purdue University in 1959. Mary married Alexander Economou in 1961. He preceded her in death in 1995. Mary is survived by their five children: Sigrid Economou, Aaron (Doris) Economou, Marie (John) Haspil, Alexis (Andy) Pruitt, and Amy Sliwinski; fifteen grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; two brothers Eric Hoekstra and Lynn Hoekstra, her sister Ingrid Lesley, and her large extended family of in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary and Alex met at Purdue University. Both were dedicated public school teachers, and the couple owned two restaurants. They took their family camping, hiking, and boating, on wilderness canoe treks, and many adventures in our national parks. Mary loved being on or near the water, and she was a knowledgeable birder. She enjoyed attending opera and classical music concerts. She was an avid gardener and her gardens often drew admiring photographers, due to her natural designs and inclusion of native wildflowers. She also found creative expression in needlepoint, embroidery, and quilting. Mary loved visiting art museums, drama and reading, especially history. She is remembered for her kind patience, perseverance, witty insights, and subtle sense of humor.
The family is holding a private memorial on February 28. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to her favorite radio station, WFMT in Chicago, the Parkinson's Foundation, the Audubon Society, or a wilderness conservation program.
