Face time with Athena Roumeliotis

Geneva resident Athena Roumeliotis, 70, was tutoring at the Batavia Public Library when she answered 12 questions from the Kane County Chronicle's Brenda Schory.


Where did you grow up? Chicago, and then I lived in Oak Lawn for 40 years.

Who would play you in the movie of your life? Nia Vardalos – and I know her personally. We are very good friends with her aunt and see her there in Palos Heights. And she invited us to the premier of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" in Toronto. We are credited with making her movie a success because I sent out 300 or 400 emails to friends to encourage them to go to that first Friday showing here. They only premiered it in four cities.

Was that movie true? Most of it. A little exaggeration here and there, but definitely true.

First job? I was a math assistant at my college, and we got paid.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher, and I became a high school math teacher.

A book you'd recommend? "Pericles on 31st Street" by Harry Mark Petrakis – and I know him personally, so I like his books. I know him because his father was the priest at the church in Palos Hills, and we just knew him through the church.

Favorite charity? Saint Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church in Palos Heights.

Do you still go there? We go to St. Sophia in Elgin and St. Athanasios in Aurora, because we live halfway between those two churches. But we still are loyal to St. Spyridon because I was born, raised, married, my kids were baptized and married there.

Hobbies? Bike riding.

Favorite local restaurant? My favorite restaurant before it closed down in January was the Mill Race Inn in Geneva – because we owned it.  

Where do you go to dinner now? Lumes Pancake House in Batavia – Greek-owned by the way.

What is an interesting factoid about yourself? I was invited and went to the White House to see Ronald Reagan when he was president. Bill Bennett, who was U.S. Secretary of Education at the time visited my classroom at Bogan High School in Chicago, was impressed and invited me.