Alice Karnavas passed away peacefully with her family by her side on July 8, 2023, at her home in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania.
Alice was born January 22, 1930, in Boston and spent her early life there with her mother, Anastasia Zacharias, and her two sisters, Genevieve and Janet. Alice attended high school in Boston and went on to graduate from Pine Manner College in Massachusetts in 1950. She enjoyed the Arts immensely and had early aspirations to be a singer. She had a warm, operatic, and resonant voice and often sang for friends and at parties.
She later met Constantine (Gus) Karnavas in Cambridge Massachusetts and married in 1958. Soon thereafter, they moved to Philadelphia, where Gus took a position as an attorney at Smith Kline & French. Alice later had three sons, Mark, Stefan, and Andrew.
Alice spent much of her adult life as a homemaker and committed significant time to philanthropic endeavors including her tenure in the gift shop at the Philadelphia Zoo, the Board of Directors of the Chestnut Hill Community Association, the Women’s Exchange in Chestnut Hill and many fund raisers for Chestnut Hill Academy during the 1970’s where her sons attended primary school. When she was not donating her time and talent to worthy causes, she was an active supporter of her sons’ sporting and musical endeavors.
Alice was known for her smile, her gracious hospitality and was a good listener and a confidant to her many friends in the community and beyond. She was fond of her walks in Chestnut Hill, talking to friends and neighbors along the way. She will be missed.
Alice is survived by her husband, three sons and six grandchildren, Aliki, Maria, Lily, Ben, Clayton, and Alexander.
Services will be held on Tuesday July 18th at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 7921 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027. Gathering will begin at 10:00AM and the services will start at 11:00 AM.
