Demitra KOSTAKIS

24 MAY 1952 - 11 AUG 2016

• BIRTH: 24 MAY 1952, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• DEATH: 11 AUG 2016, Edwardsburg, Cass, Michigan

INDEX

[N15173] Demitra “Mimi” Piane
May 24, 1952 - Aug. 11, 2016
EDWARDSBURG - Demitra “Mimi” (Kostakis) Piane, 64, died Thursday, August 11, 2016, in a bicycle/automobile accident near her home in Edwardsburg, Michigan. Mimi retired in 2014 after 24 years as the media center director and a student advisory leader at The Stanley Clark School in South Bend. She helped build a library of 20,000 volumes and oversaw the school's book fair, the most successful of its kind in the nation, and coordinated a variety of other special events. Mimi organized and led several trips to Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal for Stanley Clark students and parents. She proved an invaluable mentor to countless Stanley Clark students -- and had been in the process of creating an archival history of The Stanley Clark School. Mimi previously spent five years as head librarian for the children's section at the South Bend Public Library downtown branch and worked as head of programming and publicity at the Kalamazoo Public Library. The Pianes also served as a host family for a number of Moroccan students at the University of Notre Dame. Mimi was an avid reader and a world traveler, and she loved being around and on the water. Born May 24, 1952, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, she is survived by her husband, Joseph (Joe), former longtime track and field and cross country coach at Notre Dame; son, Nicholas (Nick); uncle, Louis (Jacquie) Kostakis of Kalamazoo, Michigan; aunt, Lela Droulias of Schaumburg, Illinois; aunt, Barbara Phassos of Chicago; aunt, Katina Katrakis of Athens, Greece; uncle, Peter Stiris of Addison, Illinois; and cousins, Beth Kostakis of Kalamazoo, Leslie (David) Deluhery of Portage, Michigan, Patty and Greg (Tasia) Phassos of Chicago, Patty (Chris) Ganas of Inverness, Illinois, Tina (Frank) Esposito of Keeneyville, Illinois, Dino Stiris of Chicago and Matina (George) Demopoulos of Athens, Greece. Mimi was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Georgia Kostakis. Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, 2016, from 3-8 p.m. at Welsheimer Funeral Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road, South Bend. Funeral services will be on Thursday, August 18, 2016, at 10 a.m. at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, 52455 Ironwood Road, South Bend. Burial will follow at Saint Joseph Valley Memorial Park Cemetery, Granger.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Stanley Clark School, 3123 Miami Street, South Bend, IN 46614 - to create the “Mimi Piane Scholarship awarded annually to the most avid reader(s) in the Middle School,” thereby recognizing Mimi's passion for books. Family and friends may leave e-mail condolences at www.welsheimer.com. Published in South Bend Tribune from Aug. 14 to Aug. 16, 2016