It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Thalia S. Deneen on May 27, 2024. Thalia passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 93. Thalia was the beloved wife of the late Dr. James Robert Deneen; the loving mother of Dr. Christopher C. (Valerie) Deneen; sister of Diane (the late Byron) Karzas and the late Charles Pericles Stathas; and aunt of Mary Kay (Warren Reiss) Karzas.
Thalia grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois and was the daughter of the late Pericles Peter Stathas and Mary Pegis Stathas. She graduated from Smith College and later earned her PhD in English Literature from Stanford University. Her thesis on Susanna Centlivre’s A Bold Stroke for a Wife established Thalia as a well-regarded authority on the 18th century English poet and playwright.
Following her doctoral studies, Thalia’s first position was in the English department at Indiana University, where she met her late husband, Dr. James Robert Deneen. They were married in 1969. After relocating to Princeton, New Jersey, they had one child, Christopher.
A lifelong learner, Thalia had a deep interest in both music and art. Before pursuing her PhD, Thalia worked with The Lyric Opera in Chicago. After relocating to Princeton, Thalia conducted research on both contemporary and Renaissance art. She delivered several lectures on these subjects at Princeton University, with particular focus on old master drawings of the Renaissance period and the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. A talented pianist, Thalia played regularly for company, and was especially well-known for her performance of Chopin’s nocturnes.
A private interment will be held at Lake Forest Cemetery in Lake Forest, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Thalia’s name may be made to Smith College at https://www.smith.edu/giving or Stanford University at https://giving.stanford.edu/.
For information, please contact Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors at 847-234-9649 or visit www.RTfunerals.com.
