Christine D. Natsios

Natsios, Christine Daphne

January 2, 1953 -

February 16, 2013

Christine Daphne Natsios passed away after a battle with cancer on February 16, 2013 at the Cayuga Medical Center of Ithaca, NY. She was born January 2, 1953 in Athens, Greece, daughter of the late Nicholas Andrew Natsios, a US Foreign Service Officer, and Mitzi (Peterson) Natsios. She was a member of St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church in Ithaca. Ms. Natsios grew up in Greece, Vietnam, France, Korea, Argentina, and the Netherlands, where she acquired a unique perspective on global cultures as well as a talent for languages. A childhood spent traveling within the world of international diplomacy provided apt preparation for her subsequent career in the hospitality industry. A 1985 graduate of the Cornell Hotel School, Ms. Natsios had 30 years experience in special events management, catering, and sales with organizations such as the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons Hotels, Sheraton, Intercontinental Hotels, The Columbus (Ohio) Athanaeum and Columbus Museum of Art. She was appointed director of alumni affairs at the Cornell Hotel School in 2005, where she served until present as the school's primary liaison to the 9,000-member Cornell Hotel Society and the Cornell Hotel Society Foundation. She traveled throughout the world on behalf of 59 international alumni chapters. Ms. Natsios was active in the Cornell Hotel Society, Washington, DC chapter for almost 20 years, serving as the group's president from 1991-1992, and an active member of the Cornell Alumni Association of Central Ohio. She was a valued member of the Greek Orthodox community, contributing organizational, interpersonal and culinary skills to church societies and festivals. She is survived by a son, Brian J. Barton and granddaughter, Kayla S. Barton of Columbus, OH; and partner, Charles (Chuck) T. Lilly of Cortland, NY. She leaves her mother, Mitzi Peterson Natsios of Alexandria, VA; sisters and brothers-in-law, Deborah A. Natsios and her husband John L. Young of New York City, Valerie S. Natsios-Mundell and her husband Robert A. Mundell of New York City and Siena, Italy, and Alexandra R. Natsios and her husband Joel D. Wall of Alexandria, VA. She is also survived by niece, Allegra Andreadis Natsios; nephew, Nicholas R. Mundell; and many beloved cousins, aunts and uncles. A viewing will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. followed by a prayer service at 12 p.m. and reception at 12:30 p.m. at St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church, 120 West Seneca St., Ithaca, NY. A private interment will be held at a later date at Westlawn Cemetery in Lowell, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Cornell Hotel Society Scholarship Fund, checks payable to "Cornell University", c/o Cornell University, Box 223623, Pittsburgh, PA 15251-2623. Arrangements are by the Bangs Funeral Home.