Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-10
Parents
Greet Quoke
Survivor, 2
By CHARLEs J. YARBRouGH

tumbled about Marianne's ears
the morning of April 80, 1854,
when an earthquake fiattened
KarditSa, Greece.
In the rubble, rescuers found
Marianne. Her parents were
never found.
1 Yesterday, with memory too
fragile to retain the horror
of that moment, Marianne; now
p. came home" to a bright new
world, the sparkle in her wide
brown eyes substituting for a
sun that hid behind dull over
cast.
| 1t was a world with a father,
a mother, the love, care and
affection that childless parents
can give a living token of Gods
good intervention in disaster.
There were other eyes SPAR
king through a happy mist as
Marianne was carried of an
American Airlines plane at las
pm.
Charles and Ellen Velissarios,
OF Alexandria, had an eye-brim-
ming happiness as they saw
their adopted daughter for the
first time. The five photographs
they have couldn't convey the
orown-eyed, curly haired beauty.
The photos couldn't be cuddled
and loved.
Marianne could-and was.
499 Heartbreaks
| The happiness of Mr.. and Mrs.
Velissarios was reflected in the
couple who helped create it. Last
year, Mr.. and Mrs. Tom Andrus,
of 2 Edgehill drive, Belle Haven,
left for Greece with entreaties
of the VelissarioS to find them
a child to adopt.
/ The quest GIVE felt we could
not make a mistake as far as
our own conscience was icon-
cerned") led Mr.. and Mrs. An
drus into many a Greek or
phanage through cooperation of
the mayor of Athens.
1t let them peer into the eyes
of 500 Orphans and they came
away with 499 heartbreaks.
But it led them to Marianne
and decision.
1T was quite a responsibility
selecting a child fol- someone
else" MIR. Andrus understated it.
we have four of our own and
1T was heart breaking to know
we could choose only one"
Delayed transatlantic travel
brought Marianne in more than
"a hours late. Mr.. and Mrs.
VelisSarios, their parents and a
host of friends were corridor
pacing at the airport Friday aft
'ernoon when word came of the
delay.
A party had been planned in
the airport's Cloud Room. There
the detected party went. There
was no merriment. Food might
have been plotting paper.
On hand 40 minutes early, Mr..
and Mrs. Velissarios and their
parents felt they should be ac-
customed to waiting. But the
father-to-be paced the floor like
any man outside the maternity
ward.
Mrs. Nathaniel Murphy, wife
OF an Army master sergeant
stationed in Greece, came out of
the plane with Marianne in her
arms and holding the hand Of
the Murphy's adopted daughter,
Irene, 7.
On the ramp. misty smiles
wrapped the faces of the Velis-
sarios. He was the first to reach
the child. A by-stander would
have thought it was a long,
delayed reunion.
In a sense it was.
Home TO Party
Then they all went home to
the happy party; Marianne to a
nursery remodeled from a So
larium; to new toys, including
one from a neighb0r. Donna
Massengill. 4. who has yolun-
teered to teach the new arrival
English.
Mr.. Velissarios. Of Greek de-
cent, is a Navy Department
auditor, and served four years in
the Air Force in World War II,
His wife is a Kentucky native.
daughter Of Mr.. and Ms. H. x.
Meek. Of Falmouth. KY. The
other new grandparents" are
Mr.. and Mrs. Peter velissarios.
OF Long Island City. N. Y.
Marianne's trans Atlantic hon
with Mrs. Murphy and Irene was
a highly amiable convenience.
Officials Of Trans World Airline.
fully aware that Marianne was
going to need some help in the
journey, sought chaperonage
among other passengers booked.
They couldn't have done bet
ter than in the two Murphy
ladies.
En- route, Irene chatted in
Greek with Marianne: started 4
lew lessons in English. at least
enough for a 2-year-old.
Irene. also Greek. was adopted
by the childless Murphys last
July. They are en- route TO their
home in Norfolk. Sergt Murphy