Matina Xeron

Matina Xeron was born in Athens in 1943. She was one of 4 children. Her family hailed from the famed city of Hadrianopolis in Asia Minor and her maiden family name was Andrianopoulos. Her family fled to Volos, Greece, and then eventually moved to Athens. 

At the age of 16 Matina worked with Knitting machines close to her home and was very talented and capable. Her future husband Jimmy would follow her when she walked back and forth to work and flirt with her. He would eventually go to her father and ask for her hand in marriage. Once engaged, Jimmy went to work in Germany at the Mercedes factory. Their first child Sophia was born in Greece and their twins Mike and Irene were born prematurely 11 months later in Stuttgart, Germany.

Life with a young family in a foreign country was difficult. Wanting a better quality of life for their family, Jimmy and Matina packed three kids and three suitcases to come to America, the land of opportunity, in 1968. Matina had her hands full with three young children while Jimmy was out trying to make a living. The first years were hard but success soon came and they were living the American Dream. Matina had her last child, Andrew, in 1970. 

Matina was a devoted wife, homemaker, and mother and savvy businesswoman. Every morning Matina would ritually be up early to talk with her husband, discuss family and business and see him off. She was an amazing cook, mother, and business partner. She was business savvy and helped in the family’s success in their auto body repair shop International Motors of Bethesda and their towing business, Montrose Towing! Matina was famous for her Baklava, and people would beg her to make them a pan. She won many friends over with that Baklava!

Once her kids were older, Matina and Jimmy went back to their roots and built their dream Villa in Greece, living a great quality life on the Mediterranean Sea. They loved to garden, cook and spend time with friends and relatives.

Matina began to suffer signs of dementia in the last years of her life. Her husband’s death in 2019 also took a toll on her as they had had over 55 long years together. Matina’s heart failed her on Sunday, August 6th of 2023 and she finally joined her husband in Heaven.

Matina will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and friend. She was always willing to help others and was very devoted to her family and Greek heritage. She leaves us a legacy of kindness and is survived by her four loving children Sophia, Irene, Mike (Evelyn), and Andrew (Chelsea) and her seven grandchildren Demetra, Stamatina, Constantino, Dimitri, Alexia, Niko & Elektra.  She will be truly missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Casey House (Montgomery Hospice) at 6001 Muncaster Mill Rd, Rockville, MD 20855.

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