Mary Leo Andrews Weiss

Mary Leo Andrews Weiss, 86, of Charleston, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest Friday, August 1, 2025. Her Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, August 5, 2025 in Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 30 Race Street at 12:30. Interment, to follow in Live Oak Memorial Gardens at 2:00. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 11:00 to 12:00 in Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Trisagion to begin at 12:00. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.

Following the service and burial, the family invites friends and loved ones to join them at Henry’s on the Market, 54 North Market Street beginning at 3:00 PM, to celebrate Mary’s life.

Mary was born on November 28, 1938, in Warsaw, Indiana, daughter of the late Leo Andrews and Helen Athan Andrews. Her restaurant career began as a young girl working in her family’s business, Candyland, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, a beginning that sparked a passion for hospitality and food.

In 1971, as a single mother, Mary moved to Charleston, South Carolina, with her children, Christine and Leo Chiagkouris and Elaine. She began working as a waitress at Shoney’s and quickly made her way through some of the city’s most well-known establishments, including the Holiday Inn by the airport, the Ice House, Planters Tavern, and Mike Davis Harbor House. It was there that she rose from waitress to general manager to restaurateur, marking the beginning of what would become her proudest professional accomplishment, Swensen’s Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant.

With the help of her son Leo, Mary rebranded and built Swensen’s into a true family-run business, known not just for its food, but for the heart behind it. She passed down her tireless work ethic and passion for hospitality to Leo, teaching him everything she knew. Mary created the menu, ran the kitchen, and welcomed families through its doors with warmth and pride.

Later, she served as the office manager at Club Tango and worked at Henry’s on the Market, doing exactly what she wanted, just the way she liked it.

Mary was a powerhouse, independent, strong-willed, and full of spirit. She adored her Greek heritage and found joy in cooking, gardening, walking, and spending time at the beach. She was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and raised her family with unwavering love and strength.

She believed everything her family did was the best. Her grandchildren brought her endless joy, and her stories and work ethic she passed on will be treasured for generations.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Christine C. Massey; son, Leo Chiagkouris; her beloved grandchildren: Jennifer Massey (Timothy) Limehouse, Maria Christine Massey, Niklaus Mitchell Leo Chiagkouris, Izabella Nevaeh Chiagkouris, Just Limehouse, Ella Louise Limehouse, and Aaliyah Jade Rivers; her sisters, Alice Selent and Christine Arhos; and her brother, Billy Andrews.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Elaine Marie Weiss; her sister, Kiki Cooper; and her brother, Zacharias Andrews.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to The Special Olympics in memory of Elaine Marie Weiss, 204 Palmetto Park Blvd, Lexington, SC 29072.