Chrysoula C. Ponticas

Chrysoula (Chris) Ponticas, age 90 years, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 4, 2025. She was born and raised in Baltimore, the oldest daughter of Luke and Tessea Carman, Baltimore restaurateurs, best remembered for the popular Carman’s Restaurant of the early 1960s.

Chris graduated from Eastern High School and the Bard Avon School in Baltimore. She then was employed by the Baltimore Orioles in their administrative offices. After an initial meeting in 1954 in Baltimore. Chrysoula moved to Athens, Greece in 1956 to marry Efthymios (E.G.) Ponticas, then a Captain in the Greek Army and veteran of the Korean War and the Greek Civil War. A year later, Chris and EG relocated to Baltimore.

While E.G. established his new career in real estate and insurance, Chris spent the early years of their marriage as a homemaker, where she enjoyed raising their four children, with life anchored around family and the Greek community in Baltimore.

In 1969, with all of her children in school, and eager to rejoin the workforce, Chris registered with a temporary employment agency, which led to a two-week secretarial assignment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. This became the springboard for a 30 year career in hospital administration. In 1972, Chris became the first Medical Staff Registrar for the new Office for Medical Affairs. She was later promoted to the Director of Medical Staff Administration, where she led the medical staff credentialing process, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and accreditation standards, along with managing insurance related liability and reporting functions. In 1989, Chris was appointed Secretary of The Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Board, the first woman in the institution’s 100 year history to hold this position. In addition, Chris served on various Medical Staff Committees and as a consultant to the Committee on Physician Compliance Oversight of the Maryland Physician Board of Quality Assurance (BPQA). In 1997, she was appointed to the Broadway Medical Management Corporation as Vice President of the Credentialing Verification Organization. After retiring in 1999, Chris continued her association with Hopkins as a volunteer for the Alan M. Chesney Medical Archives. Along with other retired professionals, Chris processed the papers of early presidents and physicians of the Hospital, including transcribing and digitizing the diaries of the first Dean of the Medical School, William Welch. In her retirement, Chris became a member of the Women’s Club of the Johns Hopkins University and served on the executive board for ten years.

During her career, Chris balanced her work life with an active social life centered around her church, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in downtown Baltimore, where she was a lifelong member. She especially enjoyed volunteering for the “Athenian Agora,” the church’s annual fundraising celebration of Greek culture. Chris immersed herself along with E.G. and her many close friends in the food and restaurant elements of the festival and was often featured in related articles in the Baltimore Sun over the decades. In 1981, Chris was appointed Chairwoman of the church’s newly formed Archives Committee, documenting the rich history of the church’s origin, immigrant Greek community and history.

In her later years, Chris continued to remain active in a number of areas. In addition to travels to Greece and around the world with E.G., she continued her association with the Alan Chesney Medical Archives up until her passing. Chris was an active member of the board of her condominium building for many years. Chris joined the Summer Hill Quilt Club, learning the craft of quilting, and created many beautiful quilts for family and friends. Most recently, Chris returned once again to her church, where she served on a major capital fundraising committee to renovate elements of the church’s downtown campus. Chris was very committed to the vision of the capital campaign, and served as advisor and networker of key resources.

Chris is preceded in death by her parents Luke and Tessea Carman, husband Efthymios Ponticas, brother Demetri Carman, and dear grandson Nicholas Slifer. Chris is survived by her sister Irene Ehlers of Florida; daughter Dr. Yula Ponticas and son George Ponticas (Regina) of Timonium, MD; son Louis Ponticas (Samantha) and grandson Demetri Ponticas of Berkeley, CA.; daughter Anastasia Kula (John) of Ellicott City, MD; and son-in-law Dr. Keith Slifer, of Phoenix, MD. Chris is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Chris wished instead that friends consider a contribution to the Annunciation Cathedral’s Capital Campaign (https://www.alltogethercc.org/)

On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, family welcomes visitation at the Peaceful Alternatives Funeral Center, 2325 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093. Hours of visitation are 2:00-4:00pm, with trisagion prayer chanted at 3:45pm; and 6:00-8:00pm.

On Thursday September 11, 2025, the funeral service will occur at the Annunciation Cathedral, 24 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Visitation at the Cathedral from 10:00-10:30am, with funeral service at 10:30am. Burial will take place immediately following at the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church cemetery, 2504 Cub Hill Road, Baltimore, MD 21234.