Popadia Marina Eleonora Dimitroff

Popadia Marina Eleonora Dimitroff, 83, fell asleep in the Lord at her home here on Tuesday, July 26, 2011.

Born November 29, 1927, in Istanbul, Turkey, she was the daughter of the late Francesco Veneziani and Cassiani Maria.  She was educated at the Italian Girls’ School in Istanbul and worked at Banco di Roma for ten years.  On November 7, 1955, she married Venseslav Dimitroff at Saint Stephen Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Istanbul.

After her husband’s ordination to the priesthood in March 1961, the couple served Istanbul’s Bulgarian community until 1975.  In August of the same year, they and their family immigrated to the United States, where Father Venseslav was assigned to Saint George Church, Toledo, OH, which they faithfully served until his retirement in August 1995.

Popadia Marina worked as a finisher at Toledo Furs for 18 years, retiring in 1988.  She was a very kind and gentle person, a special angel of the Lord.  She will always be remembered for her hospitality, patience, hard work and dedication.  She was an excellent embroiderer.  She was also fluent in six languages: Italian, Turkish, Bulgarian, Greek, French and English.  This was a special gift from God that she passed to her daughter.  She was a truly multicultural person.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Ferdinando, and her husband, Father Venseslav.  She is survived by her daughter, Kathy, a teacher at Washington Local Schools, and cousins in Italy.

Visitation will take place at Hoeflinger-Bolander Funeral Home, 3500 Navarre Ave., Oregon OH, on Thursday, July 28, 2011, from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m.  The Trisaigon Service will be celebratead at 7:00 p.m.  The Funeral Service will be celebrated on Friday July 29, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint George Cathedral, 738 Glenwood Rd., Rossford, OH.  Interment will take place at Toledo Memorial Park, Sylvania, followed by a mercy meal at the cathedral hall.

May Popadia Marina’s memory be eternal!