Effie T. Chioles Skafidas, 92, of Rock Island, passed away Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018 at Amber Ridge, Moline.

Funeral services are 10 am on Friday at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Rock Island. Burial will be at the National Cemetery, Arsenal Island. Visitation is 4 to 7 pm Thursday at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 7th Ave., Rock Island, where a Trisagion service will be held at 7 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Rock Island, Arrowhead Ranch, Coal Valley or to Amber Ridge for their aviary.

The former Effie T. Chioles was born on May 10, 1926 in Aurora, Ill., a daughter of Thomas M. and Olga Kaldis Chioles. She married George F. Skafidas on Jan. 25, 1948 in Joliet. He died March 23, 2015.

She was a graduate of East Aurora High School and the Aurora Junior College. Effie was the operator and co-owner of the Best Ever Café in Rock Island from 1962 to 1990. In November of 1990 she joined the Rock Island County Sheriff's Department, working as a bailiff. Prior to her marriage, she was an IBM operator at Western United Gas and Electric Co. She has enjoyed the many friendships formed with customers at the Best Ever and treasured the friendships made in her second career at the Rock Island County Courthouse.

She was a member of St. George Greek Orthodox Church, its Philoptochos Society, was a Sunday school teacher and member of the ministry that provided food for the homeless. Effie received a Lifetime Achievement Membership Award from the National P.T.A., was a Boy Scout Leader, Girl Scout Leader and school and community volunteer. Effie helped start the Rock Island Head Start Pre-School and served Meals on Wheels.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Frank (Frances) Skafidas, Rock Island, Dr. Thomas (Sylvia) Skafidas, Stone Mountain, Ga., Lori Skafidas Boland (Keith Boland), Carmel, Ind., and Michael Skafidas (Vicki Trimble), Rock Island; grandchildren, Stephanie Skafidas, Rebecca Skafidas, and Mary Skafidas, all of Rock Island, Christopher Skafidas, Chicago, and Trevor Boland, Carmel, Ind.; cousin, Theodore Vlahos; and many Godchildren, nieces, nephews and treasured friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, George; a son, David Skafidas; her parents; and brothers, George and James Clioles.

Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com.