Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Bebe Calvert Cokinos Nov. 18,1918- Jan. 15, 2011


Bernice "Bebe" Cokinos, 93, a native Washingtonian who modeled for local companies and stores in the 1950s and '60s, died Jan. 15 of complications from heart disease at her home in Potomac.
Mrs. Cokinos was once featured with her mother and daughter in a Washington Post story titled "Three generations in size 9!"




Her modeling clients included Woodward & Lothrop and Lansburgh's department stores as well as the utility company Pepco. She modeled in runway shows at the Shoreham and Mayflower hotels and for magazine and newspaper advertisements.

In 1958, she won a local radio station's beauty contest for women over 40. Her prize was a backyard swimming pool, which she turned down, telling a reporter at the time: "I don't swim if I can help it. I'm strictly an indoor girl."
Bernice Calvert was born in Washington and graduated in 1935 from the old Western High School, where she met her future husband, George Cokinos.


His family owned a bar and grill at the corner of Macomb Street and Wisconsin Avenue NW. The young couple worked at the restaurant during the 1940s before moving to Potomac in 1955.
Her husband of 72 years died in 2008. Survivors include four children,  11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

from The Washington Post Feb/2011- Obit. by Emma Brown