OGUNQUIT - Antigone J. Tiggie Ganellas, 89, of Ogunquit, died Dec. 26, 2005 peacefully at Pine Point Nursing in Scarborough.

Tiggie was born Sept. 29, 1916 in Lowell, Mass., a daughter of Jerasimos and Thomai Demetrakoulakou Mekelatos. She graduated from the Lowell High School where she was the captain of the ROTC program. Tiggie also attended Greek School, where she spoke fluent Greek.

Tiggie was a member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Portsmouth, N.H. She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star for many years. She enjoyed music and played the organ and piano. She loved her family and enjoyed traveling with her husband in the off-season.

Tiggie was probably best known for her restaurant in Ogunquit, Valerie's. She and her husband Constantine (The Captain) opened Valerie's Restaurant in 1947. She loved running the business and always looked forward to reopening in the spring when the first of My People would start to arrive. Mrs. G., as her staff affectionately called her, touched many of her employees' lives. Her restaurant antics will remain forever as Ogunquit Folklore. Her former clientele will always remember her greeting them at the door with a Hello Doll. To Tiggie, her restaurant was her living room, and every night she welcomed her customers into her home.

Tiggie was predeceased by her husband, Constantine, in 1986; brothers, Aristedis (Ted) and Constantine (Charlie); and sisters, Sphigenia (Virginia), Andronike (Niki), and Anastasia (Sula).

Tiggie is survived by her daughter, Valerie and her husband Ray Saulnier; sister, Evelmine (Evelyn) Scozzafava; grandchildren, John A. Saulnier and Marc R. Saulnier; great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Christian; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 111 Chapel Road, Wells.

Should friends desire memorial donations may be made to:

Alzheimer's Association
163 Lancaster St., Suite 160 B
Portland, Maine 04112

Arrangements by Bibber Memorial Chapel, 111 Chapel Road, Wells.

Published in the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on 12/27/2005.

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