Caroline Bokios Blomeyer

Caroline Bokios Blomeyer died peacefully in her sleep on January 28, 2026. She was 86 years old. Kiriakoula “Caroline” Bokios, was born on June 20, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the second of four children and the only daughter of Steven and Victoria Bokios, Greek immigrants from Argostoli, Kephalonia, Greece, an island in the Ionian Sea.

Caroline was a beautiful woman inside and out, earning the affectionate nickname “Dolly” from her brothers. She grew up alongside James (Nicky) (deceased), George (Teddy), and Michael (Debbie) Bokios in Chicago’s Greek community where Greek was her first language. Education was strongly emphasized in her household, and she embraced that value throughout her life. She attended the University of Illinois Chicago at Navy Pier for two years before completing her degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a near minor in Art History. She was a breast cancer survivor.

Caroline had three children from her first marriage: Noelle Carolyn Fitzgerald (Daniel), Denise Stephanie Alban-Kern (Tony), and Paula Harriet Draper (Andrew), and a stepson from her second marriage Roland Keith Jr. (Lisa). Her legacy continues as “Yia Yia” through her five beloved grandchildren: Elizabeth “Liza” Francis Fitzgerald, Kevin Shea Fitzgerald, Daniel Alban Draper, Scarlett Rose Draper, and Isabella Victoria Draper along with 10 beloved nieces and nephews.

Caroline embodied a lifelong attitude of “never stop learning,” reflected in her diverse and accomplished career path. She began as an elementary school teacher, later devoted time as a stay-at-home mother, and went on to work as a salesperson for Simplex timekeeping. She earned her Series 7 license and became a stockbroker with Dean Witter, followed by a role as a Trust Account Executive for Centerre Bank. In retirement, she continued to share her love of art and education as a docent at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Retirement also brought Caroline one of her greatest joys outside of her family —travel. For more than 25 years, she explored the world with her family, creating treasured memories that will live on through generations. Above all, she was a devoted mother, grandmother, educator, and lifelong learner whose contagious laugh, warmth, intelligence, and curiosity enriched the lives of all who knew her.

Caroline will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched. 

I lieu of donations, please contribute in the name of Caroline Bokios Blomeyer to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.