Theofana Vasilakos Hegis
Sept. 1, 1929-July 24, 2024
Atherton, California

Theofana “Theo” Hegis passed away peacefully at her home on July 24, 2024, after a life filled with family, faith, celebration and community.

Theo’s parents, Spiros Vasilakos and Sotiria Fouyas, emigrated to the United States from Greece in the early 1900s. They established a farm in rural West Menlo Park, where they raised Theo and her siblings Maria, Panayiotis and Haralambos. Theo attended Las Lomitas School when it was a one-room schoolhouse, and Sequoia High School in Redwood City.

While attending a dinner dance at the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral in 1953, Theo met her future husband John Hegis, recently arrived from Athens, Greece. Theo and John shared 35 wonderful years together until his passing in 1989, building a family, traveling and establishing their home in Atherton. They enjoyed a rich social life, and were renowned for their annual double Name Day feast, the family home overflowing with friends, music, dancing and wonderful Greek cuisine.

Theo worked at Stanford University for nearly 40 years, both in the Math Department and the School of Engineering. She cherished spending time with the students, and frequently brought them home for a Greek dinner.

A devoted member of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross, Theo was an active member of the Philoptochos Society and the Daughters of Penelope, and chaired the pastry booth at their annual Greek Festival. She loved her church and the lasting relationships made through the years.

Later in life, Theo met Ted Theodore, a dear friend with whom she shared 14 treasured years. They enjoyed family and traveling, visiting Russia and Greece among many other destinations.

While Theo played a number of roles in her life, her favorite by far was that of YaYa to her grandsons Tasso and John. Theo and the boys shared vacations, soccer games, shopping sprees at Toys R Us and countless hours of late-night storytelling.

Theo is survived by her daughter Evangeline Koch (James), brother Pete Vasilakos (Synthia), sister Mary Belich, sister-in-law Diane Vasilakos, and grandsons Tasso (Abby) and John Koch. She was preceded in death by her husband John Hegis, brother Harry Vasilakos and brother-in-law Steve ‘Bud’ Belich.