Nicholetta Kofomehalis

Nicholetta “Niki” Kofomehalis, 97, a long-time resident of Lowell, died March 2, 2023 at Lowell General Hospital.

She was born in Lowell on July 28, 1925 to William and Anastasia Koufomehalis. Nicholetta was named after her maternal grandmother and was the fifth of eight daughters; her sisters, Olga (died in infancy), Peggy, Mary, Debbie, Laurie and Hope predeceased her.

Her parents, recent immigrants from Greece, gave Niki and her sisters an affectionate and happy childhood despite limited resources. Niki never married, but her sisters presented her with many nieces and nephews. She loved adventures with her large family around the Boston area and in Maine. Many of her nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, remember Aunt Niki as giving the best, most thoughtful presents. Aunt Niki also had a wicked sense of fun, harassing her sisters whenever they stole her fancy hats, purses and gloves, but looking away when they went near her closet.

In young adulthood, Niki was briefly a member of the WAVES, the U.S. Navy’s corps of female volunteers. An industrious person, Niki worked at a cookie factory before spending the bulk of her career at Raytheon, where she filled internal orders for tools and parts, managing a supply room and delivering needed items by cart to the factory.

Niki loved mysteries, especially Agatha Christie’s, Chinese food, fish and chocolate. She also enjoyed a good puzzle, joke or game, especially bingo. However, her greatest joy was spending time with her family and her cat, Oreo. She was known for speaking her mind.

She is survived by her sister Gayle Marwine; many nieces and nephews; as well as a small army of great-nieces and great-nephews, to whom she always sent Highlights magazine in childhood. She built a happy late-in-life relationship with surrogate grandchild Katie Ingalls and her daughters, Madeline and Vera, who called Niki “YiaYia,” Greek for “Grandma.”

Relatives and friends are invited to Niki’s Life Celebration on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 from 10 AM until 11 AM at the McKENNA-OUELLETTE FUNERAL HOME, 327 Hildreth Street, Lowell. Her Funeral Service will be celebrated at 12 PM in the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Lowell. Burial to follow in Westlawn Cemetery, Lowell. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Niki’s memory to the Chincoteague Island Community Cats (https://www.cicommunitycats.org,) where she spent many happy hours with her nieces and their families.