Helen Lorene (Lorry) Nassif
Helen Lorene (Lorry) Nassif
Anamosa
Helen Lorene (Lorry) Nassif, age 97, of Anamosa, IA, passed away peacefully, August 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Friday morning, August 30, 2024, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids, where Lorry was a long-time member. Burial will be in the St. George cemetery. Fr. Anthony Ruggerio will officiate at the services. A public visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 Thursday evening at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa, where a Trisagion Service will be held at 7 PM. Visitation will resume on Friday morning at 10:00 at the church until 11:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Jones Regional Medical Center. Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www. goettschonline.com.
Lorry is survived by her children Karen Lauterbach (Dennis) of West Des Moines, and Steven Nassif, Brian Nassif (Julie), all of Anamosa, also grandchildren Danielle Woerth (Brian) of Ames, Cassie Marks (Joel) of West Des Moines, Janelle Reule (Korey) of Marion, Alycia Maxwell (Tom) of Central City, Chelsea Edwards (Brent) of Waukee, Mike Nassif (Jill) of Cedar Rapids and Cody Lauterbach (Lisa) of St. Louis, MO; and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by beloved husband Nick Sr., and eldest son Nick Jr.; parents Soloman and Rose Boalbey; brothers Tofake, Ellis, John, Joseph and Richard Boalbey; sisters Marie Homsey, Lutefa Malooley and Edna Parker; infant granddaughter Angela Nassif; son-in-law Jerry Paterson, and grandson-in-law, Troy Feldpouch.
Lorry was born in Cairo, IL, on January 20, 1927, the youngest of nine children to parents Soloman and Rose Ayoub Joe, Boalbey. She grew up working in the family grocery store and graduated from Cairo High School in 1946. Shortly after, she moved to Cedar Rapids, IA, to live with eldest sister Marie Homsey and continued working in their grocery store. She married her beloved husband Nick in 1950, and they celebrated 66 years of marriage before Nick passed away in 2016. Together, they managed the family shoe store, “Nick’s Shoe Clinic,” which became an Anamosa Main Street fixture for over 40 years.
Lorry led the classic life of raising a family of four children in small-town America. She served on numerous community and school committees, including leadership roles in Cub Scouts, Campfire Girls and band boosters. She was an active member of the JRMC Hospital Auxiliary for over 50 years and served three terms as president. When Nick tended to his many civic duties or rushed off to a Fire Department call, Lorry held down the fort at home or at the shoe store. Customers knew that when the fire whistle blew and Nick flew out the front door of the shoe store, that Lorry would be coming through the back door shortly after to cover in his absence. It was a logistical dance of love for each other and their community that lasted their entire lives.