Filareti Gesner

Filareti "Betty" Gesner passed away on March, 27, 2024 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was born in Korce, Albania to Constantine and Sophia Kyriakou. The youngest of 10 siblings, Filareti attended The Albanian National Lyceum (Liceu Francez), the first institution of higher learning in Albania which emphasized French culture and European values where all subjects were in the French and Albanian languages. Filareti went on to speak eight different languages. She also learned classical piano and had a nice coloratura operatic voice.

After the death of her mother and the communist infiltration in Albania on the heels of World War II, the young teenager escaped to Thessalonika in Greece. Her path led her to the International Refugee Organization (IRO) where she worked as a translator. The IRO, which became a United Nations (UN) agency, was created to deal with the massive refugee problem created by WWII.

It was here where she met her handsome war hero Ralph Lyndon Gesner, who was reassigned to be a UN diplomat after the IRO ceased operations in 1952. They were married in 1953 and moved to Tokyo, Japan while Ralph worked in Seoul, Korea for the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency under Dag Hammarskjold. After moving to Seoul, Filareti found great joy in the diplomatic circles where her skills in art, languages, cuisine and entertaining were much in demand.

After the end of the UN assignment, the family moved to Tonawanda (Buffalo), NY where Filareti's father, sisters and brother had relocated. Due to Ralph's health concerns, his former IRO boss invited the family to the State of New Mexico with a short stay at his ranch and in Santa Fe and finally settling in Albuquerque.

Many knew Filareti by her nickname Betty which was short for Elizabeth, a name she always loved. She continued to work several jobs in fashion sales, teaching languages and even Bridge, where she was a skilled player and winner of tournaments. Filareti, already an accomplished world traveler, went on several cruises around the world, always leaving no stone unturned. She lived by her motto which included 1) Cleanliness is next to Godliness; 2) You learn something new every day and 3) Stay active and keep moving.

Filareti is survived by her two sons George of Old Saybrook, CT and Paul and his wife Barbara of Albuquerque, NM. She also leaves her grandson Lyndon, her granddaughter Sophia and her special niece ("sister") Demetra Keane. Filareti is also survived by her nieces and nephews Mary Jane Bricout, Sophia Vestal, Maria McIntyre, Teddy Kyriakou Jr., and Dean Kyriakou.

Private services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please send a gift in Filareti's name to the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Albuquerque, NM.