Kim V. Pappas

Kim V. Pappas

May 26, 1957 – December 11, 2020

Kim devoted her life to serving others, and our Lord has called his faithful servant home. She was surrounded by her husband and daughters at home following her courageous battle with cancer.

It would be incorrect to say that Kim lost her battle, as she never stopped fighting. She never stopped fighting for another day with her sweet granddaughters that she adored, for another day with her loving daughters, or with her steadfast husband. Kim fought with every ounce of strength to be there, to be present each day with which the blessings of God surrounded her.

Born in Magna, Utah, to Gus and Melva (Mihalopoulos) Vetas, Kim spent her early years living the white-picket fence Mayberry life. With her grandparents just a few homes away, she enjoyed learning the ins and outs of Greek cuisine and ways of life from her mother and Yiayia Marika. Following graduation from Cyprus High School, Kim went on to obtain her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah. Her love of the medical field began then, as she worked alongside her beloved Uncle Nick Mihalopoulos who by that time had founded the Parthenon Company, Inc.

In September 1983, Kim was urged by her parents to meet the son of family friends, the Pappas’, who had come to town from Denver for the annual Salt Lake City Greek Festival. Needless to say, both Kim and Steve fell for each other quickly, and they were married the following June 1984.

Kim’s life was one of devotion to her family and her faith. She was the perfect mother to her two daughters, Marika and Evyenia. Kim pushed the girls to excel in school, be well-rounded in sports and the arts, and participate in each activity offered by their Cathedral, and remain steadfast in their faith above all else. If you know Kim’s girls, you know what kind of dedicated mother she was.

She also spent over 25 years working in the medical field, and will be remembered by the staff and patients as a woman that never forgot a single detail of their record, and always offered comfort in difficult times.

Kim tirelessly contributed to her faith, even after returning to the workforce once her girls were raised. She held a number of positions with the Cathedral’s Philoptochos, including President for several terms, as well as being appointed to serve on the Denver Metropolis’ Philoptochos Board for over a decade. She could always be found greeting on Sundays, and deeply loved her Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral community.

Kim and Steve were a fabulous couple who loved entertaining for their large extended family, loved traveling with their daughters on their school breaks, and enjoying the beautiful Colorado life they had built side by side. Kim had the stamina to keep laughing at Steve’s jokes even after

36 years together. Life certainly brought its challenges, but there was nothing they could not handle together.

Above all, Kim loved nothing more than being a Yiayia to her beautiful granddaughters Evangelia and Viviana. Her every breath was consumed with picking out their beautiful new outfits or the latest toys, taking Evangelia for special adventures around town, having special sleepovers, swinging in the park, or just a simple ice cream cone on a hot summer day. She never needed a reason to celebrate life with them – Kim always made it special for “her girls,” and for that, above all else, she will be remembered. She simply loved life with her sweet little girls.

Kim is survived by her husband, Steve, of 36 years; her daughters Marika (Dean) Christopher and Evyenia; her adoring granddaughters Evangelia Philippa and Viviana Stavroula; brother Savva (Georgia) Vetas; sister in laws Sondra Pappas, Kiki Dadiotis, Kula (Emmanuel) Tsapakis, Vangie Pappas; brother in laws the Very Rev. Archimandrite Demetrios Simeonidis; Stanley (Victoria) and many wonderful aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Preceded in death by her loving parents Gus and Melva Vetas, in-laws Deno and Virginia Pappas, brother in laws John Pappas, Deno Pappas and Panagioti Dadiotis, and sister in law Presbytera Olympia Simeonidis.

Private services were held at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral, with interment at Fairmount Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made in Kim’s memory to the Denver Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral or the Denver Philoptochos Society.

“You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness.” Matthew 25:21

All that we are, or hope to be, we owe to our mother. May her memory be eternal.