Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Caliope (Kelly) Asher


Caliope (Kelly) Georgoulis Asher, of Borrego Springs, Calif., formerly of Sun Valley, Idaho; Marblehead, Mass., and Ormond Beach, Fla., passed away Aug. 19 at U.C. San Diego Thornton Hospital after battling cancer. She was 81. 

Raised in Peabody, Mass., Kelly was a first-generation American born to proud Greek parents. Known for her beauty, style, and take-no-prisoners attitude, Kelly lived a full, adventurous life. She loved sports cars, was a crack trap shooter, earned her pilot’s license in her early 30s, and could rival any professional chef in Greek, French and many other cooking genres. 

Married young to her first husband George Pandapas, Kelly raised three children in Ormond Beach, Fla., where she was a member of the Junior League and pursued golf with a passion. The family moved to Marblehead in the late 1960s, but Kelly never stayed in one place long and after she and George divorced, she headed to Sun Valley.  

It was there she met the love of her life, Royce Asher. The two kindred spirits divided their time between Sun Valley, an RV, and the San Juan Islands where they lived aboard their boat, Free Spirit. Eventually, they left Sun Valley to winter in Borrego Springs, Calif., while continuing to spend summers cruising the British Columbia coast to remote spots such as Desolation Sound and southern Alaska. They took every opportunity to catch salmon, pick oysters, and set crab traps when back in their homeport of Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. It was Kelly’s favorite place on Earth and her family is grateful she was able to spend time there this summer before succumbing to her illness.  

Kelly was the daughter of the late John Georgoulis and Despina Anastasiou Georgoulis. She is survived by her beloved husband of 23 years, Royce Asher; her children, Mark Pandapas and wife Laura of Muir Beach, Calif.; Kimon Pandapas and wife Christina of Marblehead, Mass.; and Pamela Pandapas and her life companion, Robert Fine of Rockland, Mass.; stepdaughter Gretchen Asher of Portland, Ore.; grandchildren Nicholas and Christopher Pandapas, and Jessie Kransky; great-grandson Sebastian Kransky; and brothers Stratton Georgoulis, Charlie Georgoulis and his wife Linda of Dallas, Texas; as well as many nieces and nephews. 

No public services will be held. 




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