Yvette "Ansara" Ansara

Beloved Mother and "Sitto"

Yvette (Ansara) Ansara, 93, of Lowell, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on Wednesday September 24, 2025 at the Arbors in Dracut.

She was the loving wife of the late Andrew W. Ansara who died in 2000.

Born in the humble village of Aita al Foukhar in Lebanon on March 6, 1932, she was the daughter of Ataya and Wadia (Cassis) Ansara. While all but one of her seven brothers and two sisters would emigrate to America, Yvette was the first and bravely paved the way for her family's life in the new world.

After immigrating to Lowell, she worked at Lowell Lingerie for many years while also supporting her husband Andrew whose career in public service led him to help thousands of immigrants seeking a new life in America. Their home on Arlington Street in the Acre neighborhood was a community hub, especially for the Lebanese and Syrian community. This house celebrated decades of holidays, hundreds of birthdays, and countless Sunday dinners when the whole family would gather. It was there that Yvette taught the importance of family, tradition, culture, and a fully stocked freezer.

Yvette was a devoted member of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. She was a member of the Ladies Society and sang for many years in the church choir. She also baked the 'urban" (bread) that was blessed for communion.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Yvette was also very passionate about cooking. This talent later manifested itself in a program "Cooking with Sitto Yvette," a video series on Lebanese specialties prepared in her own unique way. This video series made Yvette an internet sensation on both YouTube and Facebook and was an unexpected delight in her final years.

Yvette's greatest joy was bringing her family together. She was a constant in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren's lives. She gave them a lifetime of love, stories, and traditions. Her passing is felt deeply by all of the lives she touched, but her memory will live on through the family she so adored.

She is survived by two daughters, Judith A. Foley and her husband Jack of Humarock, MA, and Lisa Ansara and her husband James McCusker of Dunstable, MA; two sons, William C. Ansara of Lowell, MA and his wife Katherine, and Richard A. Ansara of Boston, MA; nine grandchildren, Kristina Stachowski and her husband Mark of Milford, MA, Elena Ansara and her partner Stephen Ganusko of Clinton, MA, Bria Ansara of Key West, FL, Jake Foley and his husband Daniel Nolan of San Francisco, CA, Drew Ansara of Scottsdale, AZ, Lacey Ansara of Merrimack, NH, Emily Foley and her partner Scott Tye of Sydney, AUS, Lily McCusker of Dunstable, MA, and Andrew McCusker of Dunstable, MA; six great grandchildren, Luke, Alex, Sam, Aria, Grace, and Lance; and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at ST. GEORGE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 44 Bowers St. in LOWELL from 4 to 7 P.M. The Funeral Service will be Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at ST. GEORGE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH in LOWELL at 10 A.M. Committal prayers will follow at Westlawn Cemetery in Lowell. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing to make contributions may do so in her memory to St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church with a notation for The Ansara Memorial Scholarship Fund, 44 Bowers St., Lowell, MA 01854. Arrangements by the O'DONNELL FUNERAL HOME – LOWELL – MA – (978) 458-8768.