Elia "Ellie" Testani Vasilopoulos

Elia “Ellie” Testani Vasilopoulos died peacefully at home in Biloxi, Mississippi on Tuesday, January 10, 2025 at the age of 85. She was surrounded by love and warmth as she walked into the arms of the Lord.

Ellie is survived by her children, Karen (Dan) Wachter of Franklin, Tennessee, granddaughter, Kari Ann (Joseph) Staley (great grandchildren, Mia Staley and Lucy Staley) and grandson, Keith (Maddie) Wachter of Nashville, Tennessee, Lynn Brabec of Overland Park, Kansas, Michael Kobelia of Orcutt, California, Sandra Kobelia of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; her sister, Norma (Jerry) Dite of Rome, New York; and dozens of nieces and nephews all of whom she loved dearly. She is preceded in death by her husband, John Vasilopoulos of Biloxi, Mississippi; and parents, James and Amelia (Santoro) Testani of Rome, New York.

Ellie was born in Windsor Ontario Canada and later became a naturalized US Citizen ultimately living in Rome, New York. She graduated from Rome Free Academy, and, after years of full-time work, full-time motherhood and part-time student, she received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University. Ellie worked for over 42 years as a Federal Employee working at installations including Hancock Field, New York, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Norton Air Force Base, California, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois and lastly, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi where she retired in 1999.

Ellie’s career was highlighted by a multitude of distinctive accomplishments including the DoD Distinguished Civilian Award which was presented to her by the Vice President of the United States. Her pride for helping to connect civilian personnel to greater career opportunities, as well as, her tireless dedication to her teams was astonishing. Known for energy, enthusiasm and boundless sensitivity for others, her impact rippled across the Air Force as “Ellie’s Kids” moved on to new challenges as their careers blossomed. Despite distances, Ellie lived with a sense of personal responsibility to ensure she was always just a phone call away. Always a great listener and never afraid to provide her opinion, she was a mentor, confidante and caregiver right up to her last days. If you were part of Ellie’s team once, you were part of Ellie’s family for life.

Beyond her professional life, Ellie was a dedicated and active in a multitude of community services which included Rotary Club, The George Ohr Museum, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Parish and a host of other humanitarian activities. Often sought out for her willingness to “go the extra mile”, Ellie was a go-to person for organizing events, silent auctions, and fund-raising efforts to benefit her community. While Ellie would always be a girl from 4th Street in Rome, New York, Biloxi was her adopted hometown, and she took great pride in hosting hundreds of family and guests to show off her beloved city.

Ellie had a brilliant and inquisitive mind which showed in her many interests and hobbies. Her love of gardening produced zucchini bigger than baseball bats. Her affection for animals rivaled St. Francis of Assisi and she gave shelter to dozens of strays which eventually became cherished pets. Even the hummingbirds and turtles in her backyard had names and were cared for as part of her daily routine. Her love of garage sales created the “Vasilopoulos Museum of Fine Art and Furniture on Brighton Circle”, and her love for the casinos of Biloxi produced more jackpots, complimentary dinners, hotel stays and even a Corvette convertible. When people saw Ellie’s white Lincoln Continental barreling down Beach Boulevard, they knew bells would be going off soon.

But Ellie’s greatest accomplishment was her family. What gave her the most joy was her four children, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and the multitude of extended family. She passed her best gifts to her children, in the form of her boundless compassion to Karen, her love of cooking and caring for others to Linda, her unwavering sense of integrity to Michael, and her sense of humor to Sandra. And most importantly, she taught them the importance of sharing and giving to others. They knew they would always need to share their mom with others, and they are so gratified to see the outpouring of love and respect being returned by those cherished friends.

Ellie made an amazing life through hard work, follow-through and a seemingly unending amount of resilience. She never let any setback knock her off course, and she believed that as long as she kept moving, she would be able to conquer anything. She would like all her friends to know she loved each of them dearly, and she spent her last days reflecting on how fortunate and how glorious her life was because of her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, or the Humane Society of South Mississippi.

Services will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 11am at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 2090 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531. Friends are invited to visit one hour prior. A graveside service will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Elia “Ellie” Testani Vasilopoulos.