[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 19 (Friday, February 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E305-E306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF LOU AND GEORGIA POULOS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ED PASTOR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2005

  Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to celebrate the 
50th wedding anniversary of two dear friends, Lou and Georgia Poulos of 
Phoenix, Arizona. On Jan. 30, 2005, the couple was joined by 150 
friends and family members to toast their half-century milestone of 
matrimony.
  Lou Poulos first met Georgia Hotis in the late 1940's during a church 
outing for teenagers at the Gold Spot bowling alley in Phoenix. During 
the following years, their relationship blossomed and their courtship 
began when the couple was in their twenties. Although it was initially 
Georgia's beauty and Lou's sense of humor that sparked the mutual 
attraction, the couple's shared values as first generation Greek-
Americans and members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, paved 
the way for their lasting connection.
  Seven years later, the sweethearts were married in the Greek Orthodox 
Church on January 30, 1955. The couple held their wedding reception at 
the Westward Ho Hotel, an historic hotel in Phoenix located across the 
street from the bowling alley where they first met. In 1960, the 
newlyweds built a home in Phoenix where they reared their three 
children, Deanne, Jim, and Alex, and where they still reside today, 
nearly forty-five years later. The Poulos family has now proudly 
expanded to include Jim's wife, Tracy, Alex's wife, Shelli, and Alex 
and Shelli's five-year-old triplets, Sela, Ari and Alex.

[[Page E306]]

  As Lou continued to build his liquor store chain, Georgia managed the 
household, juggling her children's dance classes, piano lessons, Little 
League baseball, and Pop Warner football. As their son Jim fondly 
recalled, Lou and Georgia made many sacrifices to ensure the best 
education and opportunities for their children.
  Despite their busy family lives, Lou and Georgia have remained active 
in the community throughout their years together. For 47 years, Lou 
served as the secretary/treasurer for the Arizona License and Beverage 
Association, and since his retirement, he continues to serve as an 
officer for the state licensed beverage lobbying organization. Georgia 
worked as a director for two nonprofit organizations. Over the years, 
the couple has also served on their parish council, the Men's Club, and 
Women's Guild at Brophy College Preparatory school, as well as 
participating in and donating to many charitable fundraisers.
  Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring and 
celebrating 50 years of marriage between Lou and Georgia Poulos, a 
union built on a devotion to each other and unconditional love for 
family. I have had the privilege of knowing this loving couple for 
decades, and have witnessed the strong sense of family values, self-
sacrifice, and commitment to community that defined their lives 
together. As a longtime friend, it is with great joy that I extend my 
congratulations to Lou and Georgia Poulos and their beloved family, and 
I wish them many more years of wedded happiness.

                          ____________________