Zena Gunther de Tyras information

Zena Gunther de Tyras
Ζήνα Κάνθερ ντε Τύρας
Portrait taken before Zena's audience with Pope Paul VI (1960s/70s)
Born	c. 1922[a] Tala, Paphos, Cyprus
Died	3 July 2012 (aged 90) Nicosia, Cyprus
Spouse	Christian Gunther ​ ​ (m. 1952; died 1983)​
Children	2
Parent	Paul Crivez (adoptive father)

Zena Gunther de Tyras (Greek: Ζήνα Κάνθερ ντε Τύρας; c. 1922^[a] – 3 July 2012), also known as Zena Kanther,^[2][4][b] was a prominent Cypriot philanthropist and socialite. Born into poverty as the youngest of ten children, Zena's early childhood was marked by hardships, both because of her family's financial situation and her abusive father. Originally named Theognosia, the name "Zena" was adopted during her career as a cabaret dancer. After becoming one of the most famous dancers in Cyprus, Zena escaped poverty in the 1950s through her marriage to the American millionaire Christian Gunther, though their marriage was marred by her husband's alcoholism and health issues.

Using funds secured through her marriage, Zena became a generous and influential charity donor, both in Cyprus and elsewhere. She supported public works, various organizations, churches, schools and hospitals and provided housing for both poor families and orphans. In addition to charity work, Zena was also politically involved in Cypriot affairs. She was heavily involved in the Cypriot struggle for independence from the British from 1955 to 1959, among other actions providing funding to the paramilitary EOKA. In 1967, Zena was adopted as the heir to the French eccentric Paul Crivez, the self-proclaimed "rightful heir" of the medieval Byzantine Empire, where after she was styled as the "Princess of Tyre". In 1971 Zena authored her autobiography A Life in the Wind and she has also been the subject of other literary works and a TV series. Zena passed away in 2012 after a decade of suffering from Alzheimer's disease. As one of the island's greatest benefactors, Zena holds a somewhat legendary status in Cyprus and several locations on the island are named in her honor.

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