Celebrating Nossrat’s (Nancy’s) Life
(1934 – 2022)
Nossrat Yassini a loving and devoted mother, was a remarkable gourmet chef, an artistic tailor, a superb homemaker, a gardener, and the family news reporter and poet.
Nancy was born on March 29, 1934 to a wealthy family. She outlived her biological mother by 29 years and her only sister by 35 years. By age 3, Nancy and her 2-year-old sister experienced the divorce of their parents as their father married a younger woman. By age 8, Nancy’s oppressive stepmother prohibited her from continuing her education. This was particularly difficult for Nancy, who loved attending school.
Nancy married in 1954. Nancy’s resilience, motherly love, and instinct to care for her children made her determined to ensure that her children would experience a better childhood than her own, and therefore she devoted her entire life to raising and educating them. She not only escorted her children back and forth to school every day, but she also stayed up every night studying with them to encourage the importance of their education. Remarkably, she undertook the construction of their first home by overseeing the workers daily, obtaining proper building permits and coordinating and supervising its construction as she traveled to the site daily with her youngest son at age 4 after dropping off the two elder children at their school.
In 1978, Nancy gave up her entire household to join her youngest son, who was attending college in the U.S. She brought with her, only her youngest daughter with her special doll, and one suitcase. Nancy, together with her son Rouzbeh and daughter Pamela, established themselves in a 500 square foot apartment in Morgantown, West Virginia and embarked on a new journey full of love and caring. This journey took Nancy to Virginia, Texas, and ultimately, Massachusetts. Nancy loved the New England area and especially loved the snow. She also loved the ocean and tremendously enjoyed visiting Rouzbeh’s ocean front home. Her favorite sports team was the Celtics, she enjoyed watching them and always cheered for their victory. We celebrate Nancy’s life of 87 years for her extraordinary achievements:
- Becoming a U.S. Citizen in 2000
- Travelling to Australia, Holland, France. England, Canada, and multiple states in the U.S.
- Enjoying her fountains, water gardens and planting trees in protection of the mother earth
- Teaching her youngest son Rouzbeh, the specialty and art of true Persian cooking
- Hosting annual Thanksgiving celebrations for university students in the U.S.
- Attending various Persian music concerts and taking pictures with famous Persian singers such as Andy, Omid, Moein, Shohreh and Leila
- Most importantly she managed, supervised, and led the entire household from her favorite Queen like chair “Mom’s Control Tower” even until the very last days of her life
- Engraved in every heart she touched is the phrase “I Love you, Kiss you, Miss you”
- Loved reciting her favorite poems
Nancy was always grateful to and had much love and respect for her brother-in-law Dr. Hossein Yassini, who secured her family’s migration to U.S., and his son Dr. Patrick Yassini, whom she helped raise as of the age of 14. Everyone who met Nancy loved and adored her, referring to her as a true Angel. She has touched many hearts and souls in so many ways.
There are few who bring a light so great to this world that even after they have gone, the light remains shining bright. Nancy is our light.
Nancy passed peacefully in utmost comfort at home on March 1, 2022. Nancy will forever be in our hearts as she shines on us not only from above but also by the memories she has engraved in our hearts and souls. We thank God for bringing such an Angel into our train of life as she has now departed us at this station.
In honoring Nancy’s life, we would love for you to follow in her footsteps and tell your loved ones in person every day “I Love you, Kiss you, Miss you”. The poem below by Helen Steiner Rice captures our forever love for our precious Nancy
