Obituary of Frances Hadjilogiou

Frances “Fran” Hadjilogiou, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, fell asleep in the Lord quietly on March 16, 2024, with her family by her side. Fran was an initiator of family and friend gatherings and a spreader of love, encouragement, and joy. She was always ready to join a Greek dance circle!

Fran was born in the village of Fourtsi, Greece on August 16, 1940, during a turbulent period in the country. Fran arrived in the United States with her parents and brother at the age of 10 years old in April 1951. She grew up in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fran attended William Paterson University where she was educated as a High School English teacher. She later went on to receive a master’s degree in counseling from New York University.

Fran began her career as a guidance counselor at Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, New Jersey. On September 11, 1966, Fran married her husband of fifty-six years, Dr. John Hadjilogiou. In 1970, she followed John to Melbourne, FL for his new professor position at the Florida Institute of Technology. As newlyweds, John and Fran enjoyed the Florida lifestyle, including the beach, shrimping, and fishing. Fran’s mother and father, Georgia and Steve Metropoulos shortly thereafter joined them in Melbourne.

She was hired as a guidance counselor at Melbourne High where she also taught psychology. However, her favorite job was being a mother to her two amazing and most successful sons, Alexander & Steve and later being a grandmother to her two incredible grandchildren, John and Christian. She relished being a beloved “yiayia.” One of her passions was cooking and she especially enjoyed preparing Greek dishes with her grandchildren. She was compassionate and a tireless caretaker of her family.  Fran was an exemplary mother who went above and beyond in every way imaginable.

In the 1980’s, Fran turned her attention to a new career.  She became a real estate agent and within a few short years became the broker/owner of Re/Max Olympic Realty. Fran thoroughly enjoyed the profession but, most of all, she enjoyed the comradery of all the amazing colleagues and clients she worked with over the many years. It was more than a business; it was a family.

Fran’s lifelong passion was Greek culture and the Greek Orthodox church. In the early 1970’s, Fran and John were instrumental in the founding of Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Melbourne. Fran was the director of the Sunday School from 1980 to 1987 and she was the First President of the local Philoptochos Society.  She was also a founding organizer of the first annual Greek Festival. With her family, Fran served as a counselor of St. Stephens youth camp organized by the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Atlanta.

Using her God given talents, she was invited to teach Effective Parenting, psychology, Greek culture, and dance classes at Brevard Community College (known today as Central Florida State College).

Beginning in 1992, she directed and taught the Greek Folk dancing troupe – the Grecian Odyssey Dancers, building the program from 12 dancers to nearly 50 dancers ranging in age from 7 to 35 years old. A huge success occurred in 1997 when Bishop Alexios invited her to join his Education Committee to enhance the youth education programs of the Southeastern United States of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Fran was a founding member of five who originated the Hellenic Dance Festival.  This festival has now grown to an annual event attracting over 800 dancers from all over the United States -- where the dancers come together in colorful costumes and display traditional dances from various parts of Greece. She developed and published a video and booklet about how to start and maintain a dance program in the parish, which was distributed to all parish priests throughout the Atlanta Diocese.

Fran was honored to be selected by the Greek Government to accompany 25 teenagers on a 3-week tour of their parents’ homeland. She also accompanied a collegiate educational trip to Delphi led by Professor Sophia Laszlo of the University of South Alabama.

Fran was successful and popular in every leadership position. She spread love, compassion, and acceptance to all. She was loved by her students and everyone whose lives she touched.

Fran is survived by her son Steve, daughter-in-law Amy and two grandchildren, John and Christian. She will be laid to rest beside her beloved son Alex and husband John. Fran will be deeply missed and never forgotten by her family and friends. 

The funeral will be held at Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, Melbourne on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 11 am followed by a burial service at Florida Memorial Gardens. Thereafter, a traditional “makari” luncheon will be held at the Chart House.