Marina Plastino, 93

Marina Dochios Plastino (Yiayia), 93, of Rathdrum, Idaho, passed away in the early hours of July 28, 2018, at home. She fought long and hard to beat stomach cancer.

She was born on June 1, 1925, the last of four daughters to Christos and Eleni (Deligianis) Dochios, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Marina and her sisters attended Rathdrum schools and she graduated in 1947 from the University of Idaho in business education.

She was married to Charles Ross Plastino in 1948, in Jerome, Idaho. Together they raised two daughters and enjoyed 46 years of marriage. Marina began teaching upon graduation in Kellogg, Idaho, at the new community college in Coeur d’Alene, and she and her husband also taught in Sandpoint, Idaho. In 1960, the family moved to Vacaville, Calif., where she taught until retirement in 1988. While teaching, she supervised the award-winning Vacaville High School Drill Team and attended countless parades, 49ers games, the World’s Fair in Vancouver, Canada, and the King Kamehameha parade in Honolulu. She considered her “girls” as family and kept relationships with them long after graduation.

In 1993 Marina and her husband returned to Rathdrum and settled in to her childhood home. She was very passionate about her Greek heritage, traveling to Greece many times and keeping up with her many relations there. She taught Greek folk dancing in California and continued dancing up until a week before her death. She was known for her many parties with live Greek music and dancing in 3-inch heels. It has been said that she would rather dance than eat.

She worked all of her life and began a successful balloon bouquet business in Vacaville — and continued work into her 90s, working for her daughter at the Highlands Day Spa in Post Falls, Idaho. Marina was also a treasured member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Spokane, Wash., where she was a fixture in the pastry booth for the Greek Festival and served on the parish council as well as the women’s Philoptochos.

She will be deeply missed by many and will leave an awfully big space in many hearts. She was predeceased by her husband; parents; sisters, Catherine Vlachos, Vaselia Lemonidis and Mary Kamberos; and nephew, Paul C. Lemonidis. She is survived by her daughters, Eleni (Robert) Schumacher and Jeane (Steve) Wood; grandchildren, Stephanie Garcia, Matthew Smith, Samantha (Chad) Oswald and Mackenzie (Justin) Knoles; her favorite great-grandson, Jasper Poe Oswald; numerous nieces and nephews; and her beloved cat, Ivan.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., and Trisagion Service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Funeral service is 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018. Both services will be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1703 N. Washington St., Spokane, Wash.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, or Hospice of North Idaho. To leave an online condolence to Marina’s family, please visit our website at www.HennesseyFuneral Homes.com.