Helen F. Sabbag

1922 - 2015

Helen "Mrs. Nick F. Sabbag passed away on July 21, at her home in Hingham, from a valiant bout with pancreatic cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends. The seventh of eight children, she was born on February 2, 1922, (2-2-22) to Maria Raffaella (Tanso) and Mariano Musto in Somerville. She was married to Nicholas R. Sabbag, May 28, 1944. While Nick served in the Navy in the South Pacific during World War II, Helen was a Rosie, the riveter, driving truck at the Boston Naval Shipyard. Together, Helen and Nick were restaurateurs, property and business owners of some renown on the South Shore of Massachusetts. From humble beginnings, with the business called Nick's Milk Bar, established in 1948 in South Hingham, they parlayed that business into larger operations with continual improvement and renovation. In the latter part of the 1960s Nick's Restaurant and Starlite Lounge became a premier place for fine dining and entertainment. They presented such well-known acts as Frankie Fontaine (from the Jackie Gleason TV show), The Ink Spots, Dagmar, Bobbie Breen, plus local favorites - Nick Lombardo and Ken Drinan (along with Jack Saunders and Greg Savage), Don Latulipe (WEZE DJ), the Bill Bizzo Trio and more. In the early 1970s, the Sabbag family sold the Hingham restaurant to a group of Boston investors. This became the Aloha Chinese Restaurant. The Sabbags bought a new property in Hull at Nantasket Beach. The new business, Mr. Nick's Restaurant and the Eudemon Lounge, later became Toby's Place. Helen and Nick continued to run these into the 1980s, along with sons, David and Gary Sabbag. In the 1990s, the Sabbags leased their building to what now houses the businesses of present day Schooner's Restaurant and the C-Note Lounge. Products of the Great Depression, Helen and Nick were used to hard work. They would not retire. Into their 80s they continued to do what they loved, remaining in the food service business, mixing and mingling with people and traveling. Helen and Nick operated food concessions at local, regional and national events, such as the Marshfield, Topsfield, Brockton and Rochester fairs, plus biker and racing festivals in Laconia, N.H., Sturgis, South Dakota, Daytona Beach, Fla., and the Italian Feast in Boston, just to name a few. They loved people and loved life. Helen loved spending time with her grandchildren going to their sporting events, graduations, and recitals. Anything that was family orientated, Helen was there. She was a devout Catholic, a caring mother with a flair for hats and a bantering humorist. Helen is survived by her sons, David and his wife Marsha, Gary and his companion Jeannie Holland; grandchildren, Toby and Sophia; great-grandchild, Camille; and a host of nieces and nephews. Visiting hours were Monday, July 27, 4-8 p.m. in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), Hingham. A celebration of life service will be held in the funeral home at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, prior to the funeral Mass in Church of the Resurrection, Hingham, at 10 a.m. Burial in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree. In lieu of flowers, if they wish, the family asks people to donate to the Resurrection Church, 1057 Main St., Hingham, MA 02043, or their favorite charity in Helens name. See www.Keohane.com or call 1-800-Keohane for directions and online condolences.