ZARRIN NURY

Our loving mother passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family, husband, Massud "Mike" Nury; three daughters and sons-in-law; nine grandchildren; and two of her great-grandchildren on Saturday, December 19, 2015. Zary was born in Tehran, Iran on May 13, 1923, to Loftali and Masserat Amir-Ebrahimi. Her childhood was full of love growing up surrounded by her six brothers, one sister, and ninety first cousins. She was a strong and elegant woman who, in a conservative society, broke barriers to become the first female journalist as well as the first hostess on an Iranian airline. In 1951, Zary met her husband Mike in London, England and it was love at first sight. After a whirlwind courtship, Mike proposed, and they soon moved to the United States where Mike was completing his graduate degree at University of California, Davis. A year later, they started their family and eventually had three daughters whom they raised in Fresno, CA. Zary was a wonderful mother, homemaker, and gourmet cook. She filled her days nurturing her family, crocheting, traveling, playing cards, and dressing Dad. Zary's love for family extended to her nieces and nephews, who were like her own children. Mike and Zary hosted many of them for years at a time as they came to the United States to study, and to this day the extended family has stayed connected in their love for Zary. Her home was always full of life with family, food, and laughter. Zary was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Shamsi; and brothers, Valli, Hadi, Majid, Fatali, and Fereidon. She is survived by Mike, her loving husband of 64 years; her daughters and their husbands, Susan and Larry Gittens, Roxanne and Chuck Stephenson, Dianne (Ninie) and Mark Ruof. She also leaves behind her nine grandchildren, Christopher Stephensen and his wife Lindsey, Kelly Stephenson, Nicholas Ruof, Alicia Ruof, Gina Gittens, Matthew Stephenson, Michael Ruof, Miriam Gittens and Mackenzie Ruof; three great-grandchildren, Teddy, Kirby and Charlie Stephenson; her brother, Shahpour and his wife Iran; her dear brother-in-law, Dr. Fred Nury and his wife Lili; sisters-in-law, Firouzeh, Guiti, Nana and Hermineh; and her many nieces and nephews. We wish to thank her doctor, Dan Borgstadt, for his loving and faithful care of our Mom. Our eternal thanks to Mom's caregivers, Elizabeth, Tina, Arpie, Nara, Vard, Karina, and Cristina, for their loving and tender care of our mother. We would also like to thank Saint Agnes Hospice. A Memorial Luncheon will be held at Fort Washington Country Club on Tuesday, December 29, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Poverello House, P.O. Box 12225, Fresno, CA 93777; or Saint Agnes Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 27350, Fresno, CA 93729.