Friends, family and community members packed inside St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle Thursday morning for services honoring Bellevue resident Gloria Leonidas — one of five killed as the result of a one-man shooting spree in Seattle May 30.
Following a series of prayers and songs led by the clergy, Father Photios Dumont spoke to Leonidas’ giving nature, explaining that she and her husband were among the first people he met upon his arrival in Seattle eight years ago.
“[Leonidas] was full of life and had no pretensions,” Dumont noted. “She was who she was, and she wasn’t afraid to let you know.”
Known as a vivacious and caring mother and friend, Leonidas was also known for giving back to the community – both professionally and through charitable work. She worked for ten years as a board member with the Evergreen Health Foundation, where she helped build a very successful fundraising Gala, and served as President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Illuminating Engineering Society.
“She could do anything,” Dumont continued. “And we can never replace her.”
As part of his sermon, Dumont read a letter sent to him by the presiding Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Gerasimos, of San Francisco. Speaking to the senseless and tragic nature of her passing, Gerasimos’ letter highlighted a number of Leonidas’ unforgettable traits: her dedication to her family, her love of life and her compassion for others.
Dumont closed the service by addressing the uniting factor a tragedy of this caliber brings to a community. He said he cannot count the number of e-mails and phone calls he has received in the past week offering condolences to the community and the Leonidas’ family.
Leonidas’ life was cut short when a man attacked and shot her while trying to steal her car last week. She is survived by her husband of 19 years, Tom, daughters Christina and Sophia; Carl Parsons (Father), Marge Parsons (stepmother), Elisabeth Corrigan (sister), Ron Parsons (brother) and many nieces and nephews, as well as Lukas Sollars (godson).
The Leonidas Family is providing several ways donations can go toward helping Gloria’s family and the charitable causes she was passionate about; Contributions to the Gloria Leonidas Children’s Fund will provide assistance for the education of Gloria’s daughters; contributions in her honor can also be made to the Evergreen Health Foundation, Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club Foundation and the International Orthodox Christian Charities.
