LAKIS, Antonia "Toni" (Smerlas) Died peacefully in her sleep at The Cambridge Homes on Sunday, July 14th, 2019 in her 96th year. She was predeceased by her brothers Charles and Lambrose, her beloved husband Emmanuel Lakis and beloved dog, Delphi. She leaves behind her stepson Stephen Lakis, stepgrandchildren Stephen, Katie, Chris and Emily Lakis, in addition to many nieces and nephews. Antonia Smerlas was born on January 21, 1923 in Cambridge. As a child of poor Greek immigrants, Greek was her first language; she learned English in elementary school. As the eldest, Toni was expected to look after her younger brothers, and fatherless cousins. As the best English speaker in the family, by the age of ten, she handled both families' monthly bills. She interpreted for other Greek families who would bring her to their doctor's appointments. During the Depression, her father sold fruit from a cart along Brattle Street. At the end of each day, he would have Toni bring the leftovers to the neighborhood widows. She attended Cambridge Latin High School where she soared to the top of her class. The first Smerlas to go to college, she was awarded a six-year scholarship to Simmons. Given her innate warmth, empathy, kindness and passion for others, she pursued a Master's degree in social work and spent the majority of her career at the Massachusetts General Hospital. In 1966, she married Emmanuel "Manny" Lakis at the Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown. They eventually settled in Brookline, where she started a second successful career as a realtor. After retirement, she and Manny returned to their roots in Cambridge. Enormously proud of her Greek heritage, she passed on this pride to her extended family and made several pilgrimages to Greece. ("Never forget where you're from.") Toni never lost her love of learning and spent her later years taking courses at The Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, invariably studying Classical Greek works. Gregarious and open, and genuinely interested in others, she made friends wherever she went. She mothered many, including a slew of relatives, neighbors, and friends. She never missed a christening, wedding or graduation. More importantly, social worker to the core, she was always there to listen and share her wisdom and advice. "Know what I'm interested in? People…the people I interact with; and if I love them and they love me, my day is complete. That's it." ~Toni Lakis, April 2019~ In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Staff Fund, The Cambridge Homes, 360 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02139