Alice Zapas nee Tomaras 106 years old from Long Grove, Illinois . Beloved wife of the late Gus S. Zapas. Loving Mother of Clarice (Tom) Coutretsis. Fond grandmother of Andrea Coutretsis, Tina (Lance) Lundberg, Maria (Marc) Magliacano, and George Coutretsis. Cherished Great-grandmother of Michael Prokos, Nikki (Ryan) Greenbury, Tom, Clare, Ali, and Kate Lundberg, Lily, Ava, Chloe, and Mia Magliacano. Dear sister of the late Helen Chirello, Bertha, Pete, and Steve Tomaras. Fond aunt, cousin, and friend of many.

Alice Zapas, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and matriarch of her family, passed away after a remarkable life spanning more than a century. Born Alice Tomaras to Jenny and George Tomaras on July 4, 1920, she was the second of five children and grew up in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. In 1940, Alice met Gus Zapas, who was the bread delivery boy for her father’s restaurant, where she waitressed. They married on October 14, 1944, at St. Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago and welcomed their daughter, Clarice, the following year. Alice and Clarice shared an extraordinary bond throughout their lives—best friends and constant companions.

Alice’s greatest joy and proudest legacy was her family. She was a devoted grandmother to four grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.  She was a constant presence in the lives of those she loved: babysitting, cooking, and always finding a way to spoil them with candy, orange sherbet, or gifts. Alice had a gentle spirit, a generous heart, endless patience, and a remarkable ability to see the good in everyone. She loved sitting in her chair, watching the Chicago Cubs, tennis, the Wheel of Fortune, and reading newspapers and tabloids. She credited sardines, horta, Evian water, and Fannie May turtles as the secrets to her longevity. Through more than 100 years of extraordinary change, Alice remained steadfastly herself—kind, calm, loving, and devoted to her family. Her 106 year legacy lives on in the generations she helped raise, the Greek traditions she preserved, and the countless people who were fortunate enough to call her Grandma, Yiayia, family, or friend. She was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.

Family and friends are invited to gather for a visitation on Monday, August 17, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, located at 133 S. Roselle Rd., Palatine, IL 60067. The funeral service is at 11:00 a.m. following the service, Alice will be laid to rest at Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum River Grove, Illinois during a private family interment.

In lieu of flowers memorials in Alice's name are greatly appreciated to Greek American Nursing Home, 220 1st St, Wheeling, IL 60090.

Funeral arrangements handled by Chicago Greek Funerals- Dean S. Argiris, care of Kolssak Funeral Home. Leave a condolence, share a story or post a picture at funerals.pro or for further assistance please call 847-537-6600.