For many in the Greek-American community of South Jersey, Zoe Kousoulis was a steady and familiar presence. She was in the choir loft. She was helping at the festival. She was behind the scenes, making sure things were done properly and with care.
Zoe Kousoulis, née Pappas, passed away on February 15, 2026. She was 85.
She was born on July 3, 1940, in Woodbury, New Jersey, and raised in Thorofare, the daughter of Greek immigrants Daniel and Helen Theodoris Pappas. She grew up in a home shaped by faith, discipline, and pride in her Greek heritage. Those foundations stayed with her for life.
At Paulsboro High School, Zoe excelled both academically and athletically, earning varsity letters in field hockey, basketball, tennis, and cheerleading. Her senior class voted her “Best Dancer,” a reflection of the energy and warmth that would continue to define her.
After graduation, she worked as a secretary to the assistant treasurer at Atlantic Richfield Company in Philadelphia. Later, she earned her paralegal degree from the Harris School of Business in Cherry Hill and went on to work as a legal secretary, paralegal, and medical biller. She was known for her reliability and strong work ethic.
Her Greek Orthodox faith remained central throughout her life. She was first active at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Elkins Park, where she sang in the choir and served as National President of the Maids of Athena, the young women’s organization of AHEPA. In 1965, that leadership role brought her to Greece for a convention. During that trip, she met George P. Kousoulis of Elika, Laconia.
They married and shared more than 60 years together.
Zoe stood beside George in both family life and business. Many will remember Zoe’s Sandwich Shoppe in Haddonfield, which they operated from 1983 to 1996, often with their children helping during the summers. At home, her kitchen was rarely quiet. Trays of koulourakia and pans of galaktoboureko lined the counters before holidays, and no one left without being urged to take something “for later.”
In later years, she became a devoted member of St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill. She sang in the choir, worked tirelessly for the Greek Agora festival, and supported countless church events and fundraisers. She was active in the Daughters of Penelope and the St. Irene Philoptochos Society, forming lasting friendships along the way. In 2015, she was honored as Grand Marshal of the Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia, a recognition of her deep commitment to the community.
Zoe loved following the Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Phillies. She played bridge in several groups, enjoyed Scrabble and Words with Friends, and regularly completed the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. Each summer, she and George returned to Elika, Greece, where she spent time with friends and family and enjoyed the slower rhythm of village life.
She is survived by her husband George; her children Faith (Sean), Eleni (Rafael), and Peter; her grandchildren Amalia, Liam, and Nicholas; her sisters Francesca (Anthony) and Katina (Anthony); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Danielle, who was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It was a loss no parent should endure, and it remained part of her life’s story, carried with strength and faith.
Those who knew Zoe remember her steadiness and the quiet way she showed up, whether in the choir loft, at a festival table, or around her own kitchen. Her life was rooted in family and faith, and that example will remain with those she leaves behind.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church, 615 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, NJ. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m., with interment at Locustwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Cherry Hill.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Zoe’s memory may be made to the Building Fund at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church or to the Danielle Kousoulis Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.daniellekousoulisfund.org.
