Angelika Anderson

In Loving Memory of Angelika "Kiki" Anderson

August 26, 1931 - September 12, 2025

Angelika “Kiki” Anderson, 94, a beloved educator, community leader, and cherished family member, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2025, at her home in the Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community in Charleston, South Carolina.

Born on August 26, 1931, in Newark, New Jersey, to Dionysius and Despina (Vertsonis) Skopelitis, Kiki’s vibrant spirit was shaped by her childhood in The Bronx, New York, where her family settled in 1939. A standout student at Walton High School, an all-girls institution with 5,000 students, she was elected student council president, showcasing her natural leadership. Kiki’s Greek heritage was a source of joy, expressed through her love of Greek folk dancing and singing in the church choir during her teenage years.

Kiki graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in education and earned a New Jersey Teacher’s Certificate. Her commitment to service led her to join the Order of the Eastern Star, a global organization dedicated to charity and personal growth.

In 1953, Kiki married Lou Anderson at Zoodohos Peghe Greek Orthodox Church in The Bronx, embarking on a life of adventure and service. The couple settled in New Jersey, where Kiki taught first grade in the Cranford Public School District for 25 years, touching the lives of countless students. At Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Westfield, New Jersey, she founded the “Sights and Sounds” program, a youth arts festival that became a beloved annual event, now celebrating its 53rd year.

Kiki’s married life with Lou led her to overseas living in Rome, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and London, England. Fluent in English, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and French, she embraced each culture with enthusiasm. In 1979, she established “Les Voisins” in Monte Carlo, a charitable organization supporting foreigners residing in the principality that grew to 400 members, including Princess Grace of Monaco.

In 1996, Kiki and Lou settled on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, before moving to Bishop Gadsden in 2009. Devoted members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Churches in both Charleston and Westfield, they built lasting friendships in both communities. Kiki’s dedication to teaching endured, as she shared her love of the Italian language by conducting classes and directing performances for residents of Kiawah Island and Bishop Gadsden for 20 years.

Kiki leaves behind a legacy of love and connection. She is survived by her sister, Anastasia (Constantine, deceased) Sagos of Fort Mill, South Carolina; daughters Mary Lou (Brian) Relle of Potomac, Maryland, and Debra (John) Apruzzese of New Vernon, New Jersey; granddaughters Dana (Greg) Pierce, Katherine Relle, Elizabeth Relle, Margaret (Kyle) Bruggeman, and Ali (Brad) Butkowski; and three treasured great-grandsons, James, Luke, and Leo.

Kiki’s warmth, wisdom, and Christian faith will live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and the communities she enriched. May her memory be eternal.

Services will be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 250 Gallows Hill Road, Westfield, NJ 07090:

- Viewing on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Trisagion Service at 3:00 pm)

- Funeral Service on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 10:00 am.

Donations in the memory of Angelika Anderson may be made to her beloved home parish of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Westfield, NJ.