Kalliopi (Pantalaki) Szostek

Kallioppi (Pantalaki) Szostek passed away peacefully in the early afternoon of June 19, 2022, surrounded by the care and comfort of her loving family. She was born to the late Aristidis and Paraskevi Pantalakis in 1938 in the picturesque village of Rodia in Heraklion, Greece. As a young woman, she moved from the island of Crete to the bustling capital city of Athens, followed by Montreal Canada, and later West Springfield, MA where she met and married Bernard Francis Szostek in 1970 and together raised two children, Thomas and Marie. In 2004, leaving everything they knew as she had bravely done many times before, they relocated to Myrtle Beach, SC, taking in new sights, making new friends, and enjoying their lives in semi-retirement.  

Active in her Orthodox faith, Kallioppi was a longtime member of St. George Greek Orthodox Church (Springfield, MA) and later, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church (Myrtle Beach, SC) where she attended weekly services, sang in the Choir, and shared her time and experience as a talented chef to bake countless pastries for the Greek festival and proudly volunteered at the Kafenio station making Greek coffee. Never forgetting her Hellenic roots and her deep love for her beloved island of Crete, she served with honor as a Past President of the Cretan Ladies Society Proodos (Springfield, MA), and was a devoted member of the Daughters of Penelope and Ladies Philoptochos Society.

Affectionately known as Kalla to her friends, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was strong, smart, honest, determined, proud, and loyal, with a sharp wit that made others stop and listen. She had a beautiful sense of style and a simple elegance that was reminiscent of what was featured on the pages of European magazines. She loved her family fiercely and enjoyed making homemade Greek food to share with family and friends, especially for her granddaughter Zoe who she was lucky to have grown up nearby and a part of her daily life, enjoying meals and time shared together. 

She leaves her beloved husband of 52 years, Bernard (Bernie) Szostek whom she loved deeply and whose company she revered; her loving son Thomas P. Szostek and his wife Heather of Westfield, MA; cherished daughter Marie Szostek of Myrtle Beach, SC; adoring grandchildren Dean and Vivian Szostek, Zoe Santiago, and is preceded in death by her beloved granddaughter Eleana Szostek.  She will be deeply missed by her siblings Katina Kanelopoulou (Greece) Nick Pantalakis (Canada) and Manoli Pantalakis (Greece), and her many nephews, nieces, grandnephews, and grandnieces. Aside from her parents, she is preceded in death by her younger brother George Yiannarakis. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Service on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 3301 33rd Ave Ext. Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, followed by her burial at Florence National Cemetery, 803 East National Cemetery Road, Florence, SC 29506, at 2:00 p.m.   

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