WORCESTER - Ourania “Rena” (Gatzogiannis) Stratis, 82, a longtime resident of Worcester, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family. She leaves behind her devoted son George, daughter-in-law Tina, and cherished granddaughters Ariana and Elena. She is reunited with her husband of 61 years, Panagiotis Stratis (d. July 2022) and their beloved son Foto (d. May 1989). Ourania is survived by her siblings, Vasiliki “Bessie'' Kyros, George Gatzogiannis and his wife Viktoria, and is predeceased by Elias, Demitrios, Hrisoula, and Agathi Gatzogiannis, and Eleftheria “Liberty” Bouris. She also leaves her sisters-in-law Gramany and Helen, brother-in-law Ioannis Bouris, and the late Kostantinos Kyros.

Ourania was born in the mountainous village of Lia, Greece, the daughter of Evangelos and Anastasia (Koukas) Gatzogiannis.  While she was a child during the Greek Civil War, communists took control of the village of Lia, and as a result Ourania spent 7 years in a refugee camp in Hungary. Arriving in Worcester in 1955, she first worked as a seamstress before opening a business with her husband in 1981 - Jim’s Pizza in North Brookfield. It was here she had the pleasure of meeting and serving the “Rolling Stones”.

Ourania will be remembered as generous, hardworking, and full of determination. Warm hearted, she enjoyed each opportunity to help those around her. She was proud of her extensive garden and delighted in sharing her vegetables with everyone. Ourania had a passion for cooking and was known for making her famous Greek bread for every special occasion. Anyone that knew Ourania saw that her granddaughters were the light of her life. She was a devoted grandmother and cherished the time spent with them, especially their yearly vacations in Maine.

She was a lifetime member of St. Spyridon’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

Burial and services will be private and in the care of Rice Funeral Home, 300 Park Ave.