Elaine Catherine Pilafas Geschke Obituary (1957

Elaine Catherine Pilafas Geschke passed away suddenly on the morning of Jan. 19, 2020. She was 62 years old. She is survived by her husband James, sons Christopher, Andrew and Nicholas, and two grandchildren, Alexis and AJ. Elaine was the second child of George and Iris (Christopulos) Pilafas on June 26, 1957 in Waukegan, IL. Her siblings are Father John (Galenos) Pilafas, and sisters Georganne Osborn and Athanasia Dracos Christopulos Pilafas Millward. The Pilafas family lived in Waukegan until 1966 when they relocated to San Diego, CA. She attended Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, where she met her future husband James. The two were friends, but went there separate ways after graduation in 1975 and didn’t have contact again for seven years. In the interim, Elaine worked as a waitress and travel agent, and even a short stint as a San Diego Police officer. Elaine was a devout Greek Orthodox Christian. She was an active member of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in San DIego where she was the head of the church youth group GOYA. Later she became a member of Sts. Constantine and Helen in La Jolla, CA and eventually at St. Gregory of Nyssa in El Cajon, CA. Elaine reunited with eventual husband James again in 1982 when they met again by chance at a San Diego Padres baseball game, where James worked as a public relations officer. After a year-long courtship the two were married at St. James by the Sea in La Jolla, CA in November, 1983. Christopher, their oldest son, was born March 16, 1985. Immediately, Elaine dedicated herself to becoming the best mother possible, a goal she eventually turned into a life-long achievement. Second son Andrew arrived Oct. 4, 1988, followed by Nicholas on Nov. 13, 1991. During this time, Elaine began studying to become a Registered Nurse. It was a daunting task … raising three young children while attending school for four years, but anyone who knew her knew she would meet the challenge. And she did, earning her RN license in 1996. She worked at Grossmont Hospital in El Cajon, CA for eight years before the family relocated to Atlanta, GA in 2004, where she worked in the Endoscopy Department at Gwinnett Medical Center until retirement in 2011. Elaine touched lives in every conceivable way, whether it was a friendly conversation at the grocery store to volunteering at church functions, particularly at the Greek Festivals. She saved lives, too. As an RN she applied her considerable nursing and critical thinking skills many times to handle emergencies that could have gone the wrong way. But what made her stand out was her kindness and compassion for all people. Anyone who met her came away with a new best friend As a mother, she was unparalleled. She wasn’t a “soccer mom,” she was a “football mom,” supporting both Christopher and Andrew as they progressed from Pop Warner football to star linebackers at Santana (Santee, CA) and Brookwood (Snelleville, GA) High Schools. She loved her family, Orthodoxy and the Chicago Cubs. In her later years, she studied history and became a Game of Thrones fanatic. Elaine's funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 11:00 am at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 1400 O'Plaine Road, Waukegan, IL 60048. Interment will follow at North Shore Garden of Memories in North Chicago, IL. Visitation will be from 10:30 AM to time of service at the church. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. For more information please call, 847-623-0495.