Anastasia Crambes Sistare

April 29, 2018

CHARLOTTE – Anastasia “Ana” Crambes Sistare fell asleep in our Resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, on April 29, 2018. A native Charlottean, she was born on May 15, 1963, and graduated from East Mecklenburg High School ‘81, where she also rallied the Eagles as a cheerleader.

A proud Tar Heel, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Education, class of ’85. Her first teaching job was in the Science Department of Carmel Middle School, her alma mater. Her budding teaching career was interrupted when she took leave to attend to her ailing mother, Emily Couchell Crambes, in late 1985.   We are saddened beyond measure that Ana succumbed to the same illness that claimed her mother thirty-three years earlier.

After the devastating loss of her mother, Ana mustered her trademark strength and force of character, and forged a new career as a Real Estate Manager for Couchell Investment Company, doing an excellent job for the eight years she held that position. She later successfully managed the Crambes family business on Westinghouse Boulevard for fifteen years.

Ana married a native Charlottean, Douglas Matthew Sistare, in October of 1994. Together, they nurtured three beautiful children, Matthew, Luke and Emily Sistare. Ana’s passion for education and early childhood development showed in her devotion in parenting her three children. They are and will always remain her heart and soul.

Ana and Doug raised their children with a firm foundation in their Christian faith and are founding members of the St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church. Among other endeavors, Ana began an extraordinary project there for families with limited means and who faced escalating medical bills. The ‘Goyans Gone Gray’ Annual Fundraiser, which she chaired for eight years, has to date raised and disbursed over $100,000 for these families. For this, she is the 2018 Archangel Michael Award recipient.

In perhaps the greatest testament to her courage and discipline, Ana hosted her Annual Fundraiser with grace and verve just two days after receiving her cancer diagnosis. She not only ensured that all attendees enjoyed the celebration, but also managed to secure the necessary funds for all the families in need for whom she was committed.

A constant source of both strength and compassion, Ana remained a devoted friend to so very many.  Ana loved people.  We are comforted with hundreds of messages from all the heartbroken she touched.

She is survived by her loving husband, Douglas Sistare, and her talented children, Matthew, Luke and Emmy. She will also be remembered by her father, John Crambes, a Charlottean for fifty years, now residing in his birthplace of Sparta, Greece; her only sibling, Lea Crambes Tsahakis, her brother-in- law, Fr. Paul Tsahakis, who took every step of her final journey to life eternal with her; her loving nephews and their spouses, John Paul Tsahakis and wife Stephanie, Nicholas Tsahakis, James Tsahakis and wife Sara Maude; and her beloved great nephew Paul John Tsahakis.

Funeral services will be 11:30 AM Saturday, May 5, 2018 at St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church, 5108 Kuykendall Road in Charlotte.  Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.  Trisagion will be 7:00 PM Friday evening at the church.  The family will receive friends on Friday from 5:30 until 7:00 PM and following the Trisagion.  The family will also receive friends on Saturday beginning at 10:00 AM until the time of the funeral service.

Ana humbly requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the ‘Goyans Gone Gray Medical Assistance Fund at St. Nektarios’ to benefit those she faithfully and selflessly served.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.

 

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Comments

  • Blair Homesley Hawley

    My heart is heavy today as I think about Ana and her kids on this Mother's Day...she took so much pride in those wonderful children. Ana was so loving, caring and devoted to those 3 special children. She would be SO PROUD to be celebrating today with them. I was struck by how brave the children were on the day of the service as so many people went thru the line to hug their necks and let them know how much they and Ana were loved. They were amazing...as was Ana.

    Ana was an amazing mother AND friend. I loved her with all my heart. She was always so entertaining...so fun to be around or talk to...with that smile on her face and funny laugh.

    She was so giving...throughout her brief illness, she was more worried about make her friends sad with her diagnosis and suffering than she was worried about herself. She was an incredibly strong woman with so much fight and determination.

    When Yia Yia passed away, she commented that she prayed she would have her Grace....and boy did she. She had so much Grace!

    Ana, I miss you so much and wish you a Happy Mother's Day.

    Much love to you all.

    Blair Homesley Hawley

  • Georgia Duncan

    May her Memory be Eternal. Prayers. May God grant her family the serenity and strength at this
    time. I pray her wonderful soul continues through her beautiful family.

  • Bill and Christine Branner

    Lea...and George...we are so sorry. You are on our minds daily.

  • Bill and Christine Branner

    Lea, and George, and family. We are so sorry. You are on our minds daily.

  • Lison Deschênes, Jean-Noêl Lavoie

    Ana, you will stay beautiful outside and outside for everybody... you'll be eternel

  • Lison Deschênes, Jean-Noêl Lavoie

    Lea, to all your families: Sistare and Tsahakis, and to her father John Cramble, we want you to know we are so concerned by your loss; Ana is an Angel in Heaven and she is a star shining, also, she is part of the sun too... I am looking at her in the sky.. Ana, rest in peace xox With all our love xxx

  • Peter J. Thevaos

    A very special lady indeed, "May Her Memory Be Eternal" and "Zoi Se Sas" to her loved ones.

  • LuAnn Durden

    Ana we have so many great memories raising our children together here in Deerfield Creek. I am so blessed to have had you down the street all these years as a close friend and Tar Heel sister. We have cheered on our beloved Heels and gone to enjoy our favorite Earth, Wind, and Fire. Our boys ended up together at Sigma Chi at NC State where we could enjoy parents weekends even cheering on the Pack. You embraced life with verve and it rubbed off on others. Your legacy of your beautiful children and all the work you’ve done at church will live on. Well done, good and faithful servant. I love you, Ana Banana.

  • Ana, Chris and Despina Levantis

    We extend our deepest sympathy to the Sistare, Crambes, Tsahakis and Couchell family for the loss of sweet Ana. May fond memories of Ana bring you comfort during this very difficult time. Our hearts and prayers go out to you all of you.

  • mike varvouletos

    on behalf of my family our deepest condolences

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