FLORA ALEXANDER
Flora Alexander, later known as Flora Alexander Lekatsas, of Ithaca Greece, Steubenville, Ohio, and Burgettstown Pennsylvania, age 93, fell asleep in the arms of the Lord on March 27, 2025, after a lengthy illness. Flora, an immigrant from Greece, arrived in the United States as a young woman in the late 50s, settling with her first husband,, George Alexander, in Cadiz, Ohio, and later in Steubenville, Ohio, where they raised their family and were the proprietors and owners of ALEXANDER’s Restaurant and Cafeteria and Alexander’s Family Restaurant since 1964. When George died young in 1989, Flora and her son Spiro continued to run the downtown restaurant until 1998 when it closed its doors.
Flora was known for her colorful storytelling, her sense of humor, her ZsaZsa Gabor accent, her zest for life, her love of poetry, but mostly, for her kind, generous heart and welcoming personality. Alexander’s restaurant hosted a free dinner every Christmas Day for over 500 people for over two decades. Flora and George welcomed the homeless and fed the hungry with delicious home cooked food on a daily basis, never turning anyone away. Flora later purchased an old Victorian home to provide shelter for her homeless friends at her expense. Their generosity earned them awards and a proclamation in the Ohio House of Representatives.
When asked at a city council meeting how to revitalize downtown Steubenville, one of the council members joked that they had to bring back Flora Alexander and her restaurant because she was the life and heart of the town.
In 2001, Flora traveled back to her homeland to see her aging and dying mother, and there she reunited with an old childhood friend , Captain Spyros Lekatsas, a retired ship captain, who was also a widower and would become Flora’s second husband. Flora and Captain Spyros enjoyed a beautiful life of travel between their two countries, bonding over their love of poetry, music and family gatherings. Flora was a gourmet cook and their home was always a gathering place. In 2021, her beloved second husband passed.
Flora will be missed beyond words and will stay forever in the hearts of everyone who loved her, especially her children, Dan Alexander, M. D. (Jo Ann) of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, Spiro Alexander (Carla) of Cramerton , North Carolina and Effie LaQuatra, (Paul) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Additionally, she will be lovingly missed by her grandchildren, Bella LaQuatra, Elena LaQuatra Bukowski ( Jordan), Katie Alexander Mann ( Gordon), Nick Alexander, Giorgio Alexander, Carmen Alexander and Marino Alexander. She also leaves behind two beautiful great grandchildren, Oliver Mann, and Emelina Bukowski, as well as a sister in Australia (Olga) and many beloved nieces and nephews spanning 3 continents.
Friends and family will be received on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM and on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church – Steubenville, Ohio. The funeral will take place on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church – Steubenville, Ohio
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