Marilyn Pamela Mourouzis
FEBRUARY 15, 1937 – MARCH 6, 2022
Marilyn Mourouzis, 85, of Greencastle, passed away Sunday, March 6 at Hoosier Village in Zionsville. She was the youngest daughter of Harry and Morphe Xenos, Greeks who resettled in Canton, Ohio, at an early age. Her given name was Panagiota, but she was known as Beba (“baby”); she chose to formally change her name as an adult. Marilyn grew up going to Greek school after regular school, singing in the church choir, and reluctantly watching her father fish. She attended Canton McKinley High School and graduated from Ohio University, where she studied to be an English teacher.
After college, Marilyn married her childhood friend, Nick, whose Greek family was close with hers. She liked to refer to Nick as her “womb mate” because they knew each other for so much of their lives. She quickly embraced the demanding role of football coach’s wife, which took the couple to universities including Indiana, Northwestern, and DePauw. At each new school, she formed loyal friendships that lasted a lifetime. She was renowned as a host and loved to gather people together.
With her background in education, Marilyn was a passionate advocate for reading, especially to her children and grandchildren. She served as a mother figure to countless football players and coaching families and as a Yiayia (grandmother) to many. She was active in community organizations, including her church, PEO, AFCWA, and Tri-Kappa, enjoyed golf, and was a collector of Easter eggs from around the world. She was a kind and generous woman with a stubborn streak that equaled her husband’s. The pair could squabble about anything, from which was the best parking spot to how many desserts Nick should eat, but always from a place of deep love for one another. They shared 61 years of marriage, which they liked to joke seemed only half that long given how much time Nick spent with football.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband, her parents, and her sister Sadie (Ken) Clements. She leaves behind her sister Albis (Joseph) Samonides; son and daughter-in-law, Ted and Susan; daughter and son-in-law, Pam and Matt McClure; and grandchildren Jack, Emma, and Nick Mourouzis and Isla McClure; along with so many others in her extended family and those she considered family.
Services will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Greencastle at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 12 with a reception following. Memorial contributions can be made to the Nick & Marilyn Mourouzis Memorial Fund at DePauw University, the Putnam County Community Foundation, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hopkins-rector.com for the Mourouzis family.
