Salem E. "Sam" Nassiff

Salem E. "Sam" Nassiff, 85, of Manchester, formerly of Winsted, beloved husband of 58 years to Ann (Nahas) Nassiff, died Wednesday, August 23, 2006, at Hartford Hospital after a brief illness.

Sam was born November 26, 1920, in North Adams, Mass., son of the late Richard and Threase (Mitchell) Nassiff, and had been a resident of Manchester since 1941. He was a graduate and received an associate degree from the Hartford Art School. He was a veteran of WW II, serving in the U.S. Navy. Sam was a photographer and longtime owner of the Nassiff Camera Shop & Studio on Main Street in Manchester. He was also an architectural designer and designed many buildings, churches, and cathedrals across the country, including St. Bridget Church in Manchester, G-Fox in Hartford, Macy's, Gimbels, the Hallmark Corporate Building in Kansas City, Mo., the Cathedral of Baltimore, Md., and he designed the desk of the Senate in Washington D.C. Sam was a communicant of St. Bartholomew Church in Manchester, and assisted in its design. He was a former member of the Building Committee for the town of Manchester. Sam was an avid golfer, 10-pin bowler, and he loved to spend time walking on the beach. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and he will be remembered for all the lives he touched.

Besides his wife, Ann, he is survived by five loving daughters, Joan Nassiff and her husband, Tim Duell, of Manchester, Nancy Nassiff of Sarasota, Fla., Theresa Nassiff of Manchester, Ellen Nassiff Shea of Bolton, and Mary Ann Nassiff Demko and her husband, Mark Demko, of Vernon; his eight special grandchildren that he was so proud of, Anessa Hamel, Luke Nassiff, Matthew and Christopher Dittmann, Jonathan and Dan Shea, and Beau and Bailey Demko; two brothers, Richard Nassiff of Willimantic, and George Mitchell of Cape Cod, Mass.; two sisters, Marie Aroian of Manchester, and Theresa Simon of Manchester; and many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Fred Nassiff.

Funeral services will be Monday, August 28, 2006, at 9 a.m. at Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Bartholomew Church, 45 Ludlow Road, Manchester. Burial with military honors will follow in St. James Cemetery, Manchester.

Friends may call Sunday, Aug. 27, 3 to 6 p.m., at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942, or St. Bartholomew Church, 45 Ludlow Road, Manchester, CT 06040, or to the Haitian Health Fund, 97 Sherman St., Norwich, CT 06360.

To sign the online guestbook, or for directions to the funeral home:

www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com