Marissa Pappas Kotouch

Marissa “Maris” Pappas Kotouch, 39, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 2, 2025 in West Palm Beach.

Marissa was born on October 8, 1985 in Atlanta, GA. She is the daughter of Charles Pappas, Jr. of Burgettstown and the late Michele Cannan Pappas who preceded her in death on August 18, 2010.

A 2004 graduate of the Burgettstown High School, Marissa earned an undergraduate degree in International Business and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Palm Beach Atlantic University and a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership from the American College of Education. She most recently served as an assistant principal in the Palm Beach County School District at Atlantic Community High School in Delray Beach, Florida. Marissa was very passionate about her career as an administrator in public education and fought fiercely to provide equity to underserved and overlooked students, teachers, and families. She loved walking on the beach, reading, sweating it out at Bikram Yoga, a good glass of wine, sunshine, belly laughs, and binge watching her favorite tv shows. But, the moments that she loved and cherished the most were the special times spent with her loving family.

On July 26, 2008, she married her beloved husband Ronald Kotouch in Burgettstown, Pa at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Through teardrops and laughter, they walked through the world hand in hand, bound by an unbreakable force of love. Together, the Lord blessed them with four beloved children Liam (12) Colin (10) Declan (5) and Cate (4).
In addition to her father, husband and children, Marissa is survived by her brother Tony Pappas of Butler, Pa and his wife Kearsten and their children Zakkary Pappas, Sgt. 1st Class Alexzander Pappas, USMC, Krystopher and Jakob Pappas; her grandmother Jean Pappas Castellino of Burgettstown, Pa; birth mother Catherine Hoctor (Joe) of Devlin, Ireland; brothers Nathan Hoctor of London, England, and Sean Hoctor of Delvin, Ireland; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and childhood friends.
Deceased in addition to her loving mother Michele, is her birth father Paudie Hoctor; grandfathers Charles Pappas, Sr. ,William Catellino, and Mark Cannan; Grandmother Virginia Johnson; and nephew Nathan Pappas.

Family and friends will be received from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday May 8 and from 1:00-4:00 and 6:00-9:00 p.m. on Friday May 9, 2025 in Slater Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. of Burgettstown.
A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by the Rev. Richard J. Tusky will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday May 10, 2025 in Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, 1109 Main Street, Burgettstown, PA 15021. She will be laid to rest in the Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery, Burgettstown. A wake following the burial will take place at the Pepsi Cola Roadhouse at 565 PA-18, Burgettstown, Pa 15021.

Marissa fought hard to provide equity for people who would otherwise be underserved in her community. For those who would like to help carry on her legacy in a very special way, donations can be made to the Kotouch-Pappas family to help fund a nonprofit foundation that will be set up in Marissa’s name to provide opportunities and access for underprivileged kids in the arts of dance, music, and theatre, and youth sports.