Ethel "Tillie" (Vlahos) Sayward

Ethel “Tillie” V. Sayward, 99, passed away on October 31, 2019 (53 days prior to her 100th Birthday) with her devoted and loving son by her side. Mrs. Sayward was born in Ipswich on December 23, 1919, the daughter of the late Leonides Vlahos and Garafalia (Pappalimberis) Vlahos. Mrs. Sayward’s beloved husband, Charles W. Sayward, predeceased her in March 2007.

Mrs. Sayward born and raised in Ipswich, met her husband, Charles while she and he were employed at G.T.E. Sylvania in Ipswich. On November 22, 1956, Tillie and Charles were married and they began their life together.  Initially, they resided in Ipswich for many years, with subsequent moves to NH and FL areas and celebrated over 50 years of marriage until the passing of Charles.

Mrs. Sayward was a very kind, caring, loving, sincere and compassionate person. She touched the “heart” of every person she ever met. Very down to earth individual, who put others before herself. She always had a gentle warm smile, welcoming all to her life and family. Mrs. Sayward was full of life and enjoyed life with a varied amount of interests and hobbies, but most of all enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her entire family, especially her son Jeffrey, who was the love and pride of her  life and later in life spending as much time as possible with her two grandchildren who she loved and adored very much.

Mrs. Sayward was a lifelong member of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of Ipswich and also a lifelong member of the Logganiko Society of Ipswich. Dating back to her childhood years, every year into her later years attended the family gatherings at the annual Logganiko Society picnics in Ipswich. Mrs. Sayward was very proud of her Greek Heritage and ancestry. In 1992, she, her son Jeffrey sister Bessie with her son William, took a trip with the Logganiko Society to Greece and visited the town of Logganiko, Greece where her family “Roots” began.

Living in New England during the winter months, she bounced from ski mountain to ski mountain with her husband Charles and son Jeffrey supporting their favorite winter pastime. Mrs. Sayward, her husband Charles and son Jeffrey were active members of the Penguins Ski Club in Bartlett, NH for many years. Mrs. Sayward would park herself in the ski base lodges with food and drink offering to fellow Penguins taking skiing breaks but most of all enjoyed watching her son, Jeffrey “bomb down the mountain.”

After her husband Charles retired from G.T.E. Sylvania in Hillsborough, NH and shortly thereafter decided to “hang up the skis and escape the cold, Tillie and Charles migrated south spending their winters in the Vero Beach, FL area and summers in Ipswich. After Charles passed away in March 2007, Mrs. Sayward decided to move back to Ipswich permanently and be closer to her remaining family.

Mrs. Sayward is survived by her son, Jeffrey L. Sayward, his wife Kim, their children, Andrew and Michele of Dayton, Maine and her step-son, Charles W. Sayward, Jr. his wife Lela and son, Michael of Lincoln, Nebraska and also survived by several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her five siblings, Arthur Vlahos, Bessie McKay, Mary Vlahos, Ann McCraven, Angela Lachman and her step-daughter, Michele “Shelley” Sayward, all formerly of Ipswich.

ARRANGEMENTS: A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 16 at 10 a.m. at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 8 Lafayette Road, Ipswich. Burial will follow in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery, 29 Town Farm Road, Ipswich. Visiting hours to be held, Friday, November 15 from 6-8 p.m. in the Morris Funeral Home, 45 North Main Street, Ipswich. Relatives and friends are respectively invited. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Mrs. Sayward’s memory to the Greek Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 6, Ipswich, MA 01938. For directions or to send a condolence please go to the MorrisFH.com.

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