Beth L. Alexiou

Beth L. Alexiou of Arlington, Virginia passed away peacefully on March 2, 2023 with family by her side. The small town May Queen girl from Mebane, North Carolina was 85. Beth lived at The Belvedere condo for 30 years and during that time she made many friends and became the best babysitter ever to children like Zyna, Dennis, and Zoe. Also, a special shout out to Josie and Peach, two hamsters she occasionally watched over, eventually adopting Josie. When Mom wasn’t taking care of kids or hamsters or socializing around The Belvedere, you might find her shopping at the thrift store or buying something from a consignment shop. And, if you didn’t find her there she might be at a garage sale near you. She had quite an eye for certain things and you could probably call her a jewelry hawk. She was always buying some kind of eclectic bracelet, necklace, ring, earrings - all kinds of interesting jewelry which recently Lori (daughter in law) and Lori’s sister Susan have discovered. Beth divorced a long time ago from Art Alexiou who passed away in 2020, but the two remained friends and that meant Mom was still a part of the Alexiou, Toher, Kazakis families which meant the world to her. When Philip got married to Lori, Beth always bragged about how blessed she was to have such another wonderful family in her life. Beth was very giving, and had a great reputation wherever she went and with anyone she met. She cherished the children in her life. She was caring and loving and always there for her two sons Greg and Philip – always. Beth carried that certain pillar of stability that moms have and it was always comforting for her children that she was nearby. She also dearly loved her nieces and nephews. Twenty years ago she met Anissa Kenzi at the Arlington Courtyard Marriott where they both worked. Yes, Beth was working well into her 70s. The two developed a very close friendship over time. A relationship that began more than 20 years ago evolved into a second family with Anissa, her husband Hicham, and their daughter Zyna, whom she called her “little girl.” Growing up, Beth and her siblings had a rough go of it - their mother left them at the age of two, so her father Jack raised Beth along with her two brothers, Joe and David alone. Later, she gained a stepsister Nancy and a stepmother when Jack married Eva. Born October 24, 1937, Beth led an accomplished life that took her from a home with no running water, a couple of cows, two horses and a few chickens to the Nation’s Capital where she worked for the Deputy Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Michael Straight, an author who wrote a biography on Nancy Hanks. Hanks became the Chairwoman of the NEA, whom Beth also worked with very closely. After a long stint at the NEA, Beth transitioned to the Office of Technology Assessment and finally ended her career at the Office of Personnel Management. Beth’s work motto was “You had to do small things right in order to do big things right.” Growing up, her first job as a kid was a babysitter. In her second job, she worked in the candy department at a drugstore for 45 cents an hour. Moving up in the world, while still in her teens, her third job was driving a school bus for 24 dollars a month. In fact, she became the first female high school bus driver in Mebane. Beth also got an award for a state sponsored school bus driving contest. In high school she became the May Queen and the Most Valuable Player for the 1954 Mebane High School women’s basketball team. So many people meant so much to Beth. She had a unique quality about her that she always seemed to possess and impart on other people. She never forgot her family and the friends she grew up with. As a kid Beth was the one who would notice if someone was left out, or feeling uncomfortable and go and talk to them, send them a card, or just make friends. In the book of James chapter 3:17,18 God says, 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. That was Beth, that was Mom, who accepted Christ into her life at a very young age. Quite a road traveled for a little girl from a tiny little town in Mebane. A visitation will be held at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Dr., Alexandria, VA on Saturday, March 18, 2023 from 12 Noon until time of service at 1PM. The service will also be live streamed at www.jeffersonfuneralchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Beth’s name to St. Jude’s Hospital.

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Beth L. Alexiou

October 24, 1937 - March 2, 2023