Steven Vavoulis

Steven Vavoulis passed away peacefully at LGH after 14 days of superb care by the Hospice and Internal Medicine staff. He had battled cancer valiantly for three years.

Steve is survived by his devoted wife, Kathleen, his sister Katherine Smith, his brother James Vavoulis, and closest cousin Demetrius Denis. He is remembered fondly by many nieces, nephews, godsons and a goddaughter.

Steve worked most recently in the education field in CA and PA, counseling and teaching at group homes, The Milton Hershey School, junior high schools and Vo-Tech programs. He had graduated with a B.A. from UCSanta Cruz and a M.Ed. from Millersville University. Steve was best known as a storyteller. He would regale family and friends with tales of growing up in Washington Heights, NYC, enlisting in the Army at 17 just out of high school, and above all, 60 years of adventurous travels throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most recently Greece.

After retirement he and his wife spent the month of May in 2015 and again in 2016 exploring the villages in Mani from which his grandparents had each emigrated as youngsters in the early 1900s. The Vavoulis family in Greece welcomed Steve as a celebrity, because they had known all about his beloved grandfather.

He was an avid tennis player, swimmer, rock climber, scuba diver, and bungee jumper. Steve and his wife had lived first in La Jolla and Encinitas, CA then Bar Harbor, Maine followed by Eugene OR, Santa Cruz, CA and Lancaster PA: three cross-country moves in 52 years. Truly a life well-lived.

At Steve’s request no funeral or memorial service is planned. Donations to Stand Up to Cancer are preferred.