Vasiliki “Kiki” G. Kiousis

Vasiliki “Kiki” Galanos Kiousis passed into eternal life surrounded by family January 10, 2025, in her home in Point Harbor, North Carolina.

Kiki was born November 5, 1935 in Lamia, Greece to Odysseas and Ioanna Galanos. She was one of seven children. The family operated a prosperous dairy farm. Kiki was extremely capable on the farm, enjoying many facets of the work. She was an exemplary student and an accomplished athlete. There had even been talk of her trying out for the Greek Olympic Track and Field Team as she was a strong runner. As talented as she was in these arenas, her true genius could be seen in her domestic prowess. Kiki was a skilled seamstress, a naturally gifted cook and a master at spinning all of the plates necessary to make a house a home with laser guided efficiency and sophisticated flair.

The name “Vasiliki” comes from the Greek word “basileus” meaning “royal.” Although she wasn’t born into royalty, she was born to embrace strength, dignity and a sense of grandeur. She was a farmer’s daughter with an innate sense of self, an unparalleled work ethic and an aptitude for elegance.

She turned heads everywhere she went and could have had her pick of young classmates. Instead, she befriended a boy that did not attend her school. In fact, he didn’t attend any school. He worked odd jobs from stocking at the grocery store to washing windows to delivering milk. He was from a poor mountain village living without his family in the city center. Yperochos “Perry” was mirthful, kind and hard-working. And then he was gone. Gone to America. For years they wrote letters back and forth, across an ocean, across societal expectations, across their stations in life. In 1960, he returned to Lamia as a successful entrepreneur to marry his Kiki. She said people didn’t even recognize him as he walked into town and swept her off her feet.

Breaking from convention, Kiki packed her bags full of courage and immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She learned the language while working long, tireless shifts at their New York Hot Dog Shops. She learned to drive up and down the snowy hills of Pittsburgh. She learned the intricacies of American business ownership and honed her skills of hospitality. It was baptism by fire, and she glowed in its light.

Not long after her arrival on the American stage, she took on her most beloved role, that of mother. She welcomed her two boys, Steven Gregory and Ulysses Nicholas into the world. While working in the restaurants, running their household and parenting, she found the time and energy to immerse herself in the activities of the Greek community through St. Nicholas Church. She served faithfully there in many roles and always managed time to attend dances and social events which she and Perry relished.

In 1969, during a vacation to the quiet spit of sand known as the Outer Banks, Perry decided to move his family south and embark on yet another adventure. In December of that year, they arrived and began their epic ten-year ownership of the Point Harbor Restaurant. Always pushing the goal line further ahead, never anticipating there would be a challenge she couldn’t overcome through sheer strength of will, Kiki transformed the restaurant into a destination. They welcomed everyone from high-powered DC officials to local crabbers serving seafood platters and the famous Point Harbor corncakes.

In 1981, Perry and Kiki sold the Point Harbor Restaurant and opened the Outer Banks’ first breakfast restaurant, Stack’ em High Pancakes & So Forth in Kill Devil Hills. A second location followed in 1986 in Kitty Hawk. Both locations are still family-owned and operated by thier sons.

She was one of the founding members of the Outer Banks Women’s Club, famously involved in the protection of Jockey’s Ridge. She was instrumental in the sponsorship of many Greek families to the United States and continued her support of her Greek Orthodox faith by traveling with her family every week to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Norfolk. She was deeply involved in the Philoptochos Society as well as many social committees and events.

In the early 90’s Kiki collaborated with Operation Smile. She raised large amounts of money to enable a young Greek boy to travel to the United States and receive treatment for Treacher Collins Syndrome. The endeavor was chronicled and aired on an edition of the television newsmagazine, 48 Hours on CBS.

Kiki continued to evolve holding Greek and American culture with both hands. She stood comfortably at the intersection of superstition and pragmatism. She was known to talk endlessly about the formidable power of an evil eye curse in one breath and seamlessly pivot to a financial conversation in the next. Her ability to create intricate needlepoint was just as brilliant as her ability to create a business plan. She designed handbags, taught physical education at Kitty Hawk Elementary, planted magnificent rose gardens, contributed to cookbooks all while working, parenting and embracing her beautiful marriage.

In 1995, Perry and Kiki retired part-time to their home in Lamia, Greece. They spent winters traveling and summers back in America supporting their sons and their businesses. By that time there was an even more important reason to keep coming back to the States, grandchildren. Kiki was the consummate yia-yia. She sang lullabies in Greek, baked cookies, ruled naptime and led hikes to the turtle pond. She knitted hats and scarves, told stories by the hundreds and demanded only the best coloring.

Throughout her years, Kiki reveled in the Greek notion of “philoxenia.” The word literally translates to “the befriending of strangers.” She loved the idea of hospitality and excelled in its execution. She taught Greek cooking and entertaining at After Dark at All Saints for many years. Her classes always selling out as soon as registration opened. Greek Night with Kiki and Steve at Duck United Methodist was also a sought after event. She showed her love through food, its preparation, its presentation and its nourishment. She was a wonderful storyteller and could capture your attention around the dinner table with her sometimes outrageous tales. She was a woman of great style and expected nothing short of the best from everyone around her.

In 2014, she lost the love of her life to Alzheimers. She continued to travel annually to Greece until she could no longer make the journey. She lived out her final years surrounded by her family and died at home with the quintessential help of hospice. Kiki was and always will be the queen of her castle. May her memory be eternal.

Kiki was predeceased by her husband of 55 years Yperochos “Perry” Kiousis. She is survived by her sons, Steven (Kristine) and Nicholas (Dawn); grandchildren, Andrew, Madeline, Eleni, Theo, Emilia and Alexander; brother, Panayiotis (Dina) of Greece; and sister, Souli (George) of Greece.

Kiki’s funeral will be held at 11am on January 16, 2025 at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Southern Shores, NC. Family and friends may view from 9 to 11am. Burial will follow at Southern Shores Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that friends and family consider a donation to the Perry & Kiki Kiousis Memorial Fund at the Outer Banks Community Foundation. (https://obcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2419) This fund has been created to support families involved in the hospitality industry on the Outer Banks.

The family would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Adoration Hospice for their compassionate services and guidance. Condolences to the family may be expressed via the on-line register at www.gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. is entrusted with arrangements.