Obituary of Asimina "Mina" Papathomas

It is with great sadness we share the loss of our beloved mother. Asimina “Mina” Papathomas, a longtime Madison resident, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at Morristown Medical Center, with her children by her side. She was 89.

Mina is survived by two sons, Jim Papathomas and his wife Kathy, and Harry Papathomas and Kristen Perry, and a daughter, Effie Zuretti and her husband Stephen; five cherished grandchildren, Harry Papathomas and his wife, Kate,  Mina Randazzo and her husband Tommy, Pauline Papathomas and Dean Chuqui, Sylvia Papathomas and  Gabrielle Zuretti; one great-grandson, James Liam Papathomas; one brother, Michael Meidanis; one sister, Katina Sotiriou and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Haralambos “Harry” Papathomas in 2008; and her two brothers, George Meidanis and Thomas Meidanis.

Mina was born in Domvrena, Greece on May 4, 1934 to the late Harry and Grace Meidanis. She was raised in Greece during WWII with her four siblings, and as a young woman Mina worked on their family’s olive grove and helped support the family.

Mina married her beloved husband Harry and the couple emigrated to the United States in 1958. They first settled in Jersey City and Mina worked as a seamstress. In 1965 Harry became  co-owner of the Nautilus Diner in Madison NJ and moved the family to Madison. Mina enjoyed trips back to her childhood home in Greece every summer with her husband and three children.

Mina’s family was everything to her and she was especially proud of her grandchildren. She loved to cook and host her entire family for holidays, especially Greek Easter. Mina enjoyed gardening, crocheting, and spending time by the pool with  family and friends.

Mina and Harry were members of St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church in Randolph NJ. She was active within the church for many years and dedicated a great deal of her time to the church’s Greek Orthodox Philoptochos Society helping those less fortunate.

Mina will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She was a wonderful woman of great wisdom and strength and had a genuine, warm-hearted nature.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the visitation from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison, NJ. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 26, 2023, at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church, 1447 Sussex Tpk., Randolph, NJ. Interment will follow at St. Vincent’s Cemetery, on the corner of Noe Ave. and Shunpike Rd., Madison, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mina’s memory to the American Kidney Fund 119121 Rockville Pike STE 300, Rockville, MD 20852-2737 (http://kidneyfund.org).