Family Trees > (Mellitas) Basiliki (bessy) Cassimatis (*1926 †2017)

submitted by Jim Cassimatis on 21.11.2010

(Mellitas) Basiliki (bessy) Cassimatis (*1926 †2017)


Fullname:	Basiliki (bessy)
Maidenname:	Mellitas
Year of birth:	1926
Place of birth:	Athens
Year of death:	2017
Religion:	Greek Orthodox
Life story:	Greek name: Βασιλικη Κασιματη Greek maiden name: ΜΕΛΙΤΑ Real Bithdate: 1924-09-10 Bessy, as all her friends and family called her, was born in Kallithea, Athens, Greece in 1924 to parents Dimitrios and Maria Mellitas. She was born into an aristocratic family. She had one brother, Peter, and three sisters, Stamatia, Ekaterini and Alkistis. Bessy grew up in a beautiful double storey mansion with a large green garden in the front, maintained by a gardener. Sounds of pleasant music were heard all around the house as Bessy played the piano inside. Bessy’s best piece of music was Für Elise by Beethoven, which she played without notes. Her fingers would appear to fly through the air as she played. Bessy was educated in an American College in Athens, where she learned to speak English. She had formal training in correct table Etiquette, which she practised all her life. Bessy grew up to become a lady of elegance, always dressing well, always being well mannered and always wearing nice Jewellery. In 1955 her future husband, Nick Cassimatis, was looking for a Greek lady to marry in Australia, so he wrote to his brother in Greece. His brother was familiar with the Mellitas family of Kallithea, so he approached them and arranged for Bessy to fly to Australia to marry Nick. Bessy left Greece by plane on 18 July 1955 and flew to Lebanon, Pakistan, India, and then Singapore on route to Australia, where she arrived 8 days later. Bessy married Nick in Sydney three months later at age 31. Bessy worked as a secretary at her husband’s office while bringing up her two sons, George (born 1958) and Jim (born 1959) over the next 15 years. Bessy returned to Greece in 1974, after getting divorced. During the next 34 years Bessy lived in Greece, where she spent time with her 3 sisters, brother and other relatives. During this time Bessy missed her sons very much, but they would come to visit her from Australia frequently and on one occasion, Jim stayed with her in Greece for a whole year. During her years in Greece, Bessy travelled to Australia five times. Once to see her son Jim get married and then for 12 month periods to help both mothers Collette and Stella bring up their first born sons Nicholas and Gabriel. She also had the opportunity of attending most of her grandchildren’s christenings (Nicholas, Krista, Gabriel, Vanessa & Nicola). Each time, she had lengthy stays and enjoyed being with family very much. She was very proud of her son George when he decided to get married in Greece, whilst she was living there, as this allowed all our Greek relatives to attend the wedding. In 2008 Jim went to Greece to get Bessy and bring her back to Australia for medical treatment for her back pain. During that time she spent many hours sitting in front of Coogee Surf Club in the company of other surf club members watching her sons and grandchildren enjoying the beach and swim with the Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club. Just over two years later, while still in Australia receiving treatment, she was diagnosed with early stage Dementia. As a result, two years later in 2012 she was admitted to a nursing home in Daceyville, where she received frequent visits from her sons and was well looked after by staff until she passed to eternity. Her memory will never fade, but live forever in our hearts.