John Michael NASSEFF

The just and the righteous are alive with their God. February 21, 1924 - February 21, 2018. Our beloved John entered eternal life on the 94th anniversary of his birth. He was at home, at peace, surrounded by people whom he loved, and supported by the prayers of those who loved him. John is preceded in death by his beloved son John "Mickey" Nasseff Jr., his parents Peter and Mary (Betros and Zmorroud), and all his siblings: Michael, Anne, Sidney, Sadie, Louis, Mary, Arthur (A.J.) and Marcy. John carried each of them in his heart yet his affection for A.J., his slightly older brother and lifetime friend, confidante, and moral compass, forged a bond that transformed them both. John is survived by the love of his life Helene Houle, his wife since November 30, 1995. John is also survived by his son, Arthur Keith (Susan) Nasseff; granddaughters Trina Pontrelli, Tawnee Nasseff and Emily Nasseff; great-grandchildren Michael (Nikki) Pontrelli, Steven Nasseff, Jennifer Pontrelli, Nick Nasseff and Jack Pontrelli, and great, great grand-daughter Ava Rose Pontrelli. John is survived by Rose Nasseff, the mother of his children, and Gerry Nasseff, A.J.'s widow. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews in the Nasseff and Houle families and many relatives in Lebanon and Australia, all of whom adored him. Special thanks to the individuals who gave of their time to ensure John's safety in the winter of his life: Souad Gubash, Richard Graner, Julie and Mark Gubash, Lisa Kline, Jackie and Brian Krech, Jackie Hilgert, Lucy Hobbs, Linda Houle, Kevin Miller, Art Nasseff, Tawnee Nasseff and Jeff Ulrich. Additionally, John leaves hundreds of friends, business associates, community leaders, physicians, and beloved members of the clergy, individuals with whom John maintained close ties throughout his 94 years in St. Paul, particularly Chorbishop sharbel Maroun, pastor of the Church of St. Maron, Minneapolis, and the Rev. Paul Morrissey, S.M., formerly of the Church of St. Louis, King of France, St. Paul. John was born into a loving family which maintained an enduring faith in the Almighty. His immigrant parents worked hard and assimilated into the ethnically diverse and close-knit St. Paul neighborhood known as The Flats, a place that has existed for the past half century only in the memories of John's generation. His father was a railroad laborer; his mother sewed rags into garments, which she peddled door to door. His childhood was rich in love and rooted in the values that are passed one generation to the next. John remembered his mother, who owned but one dress for herself, frequently sent dozens of garments to family still living in Lebanon. She kept her generosity a quiet act and when John asked her why, she responded: Allah bahattif - God knows what you do. John's youth was defined by street sense and toughness. His mother charged John with watching over A.J. while other mothers paid John in candy to keep their sons safe from bullies. When his father grew too ill to continue working, John left school after ninth grade to help support his family. John was a member of the Greatest Generation. Spurred by patriotism after Pearl Harbor, John enlisted in the Armed Forces, joining the 1884th Engineers Aviation Battalion, Company C. At nineteen, John was deployed to Peleliu, Guam and the Ryukyu Islands, the latter was the site of the battle of Okinawa. John returned to St. Paul at war's end to a wife and young son and no job. Though brothers A.J. and Louis achieved success building houses for the post-war boom, they discouraged John from joining them in business. John's oldest brother Mike encouraged John to instead work at West Publishing, where it was believed there might be opportunities for advancement. John took a job unloading boxcars; he started in 1946 - on his twenty-second birthday. The narrative of John's time at West Publishing is often likened to a Horatio Alger tale, a hero's rise from humble beginnings made possible by grit and determination - poor boy makes good. Hard work has certainly been a factor in John's life; he was genetically wired to embrace long hours, living life at a frenetic pace. He drove a taxi at night during those early, lean years when he didn't even own a car. Certainly John was smart and luck played its part. But what distinguishes John's story from rags-to-riches mythology is the degree to which John embraced risk. After analyzing the printing operations at West Publishing and deciding there was room to implement efficiencies, John approached the plant manager Lee Slater with his ideas. It wasn't the idea that was risky, but John's approach: he demanded the company compensate him half of what it would save by using his ideas. The manager threw John out of his office for his brazenness, yet liked his ideas enough to implement them. There would be more ideas to come and Slater, who eventually became president of West Publishing, didn't forget the man who could solve just about any problem. Twenty-two years along, John was made a vice president and placed in charge of engineering and facilities. John also managed the leases for West Publishing's sales offices throughout the United States. John later befriended Dwight Opperman, a legal editor who was on the rise. Opperman eventually became company chairman. John and Dwight's long friendship was a factor in shaping each man's career. John forever changed the business landscape of St. Paul after taking a Sunday drive through Dakota County. John stopped at a roadside produce stand, one he'd patronized for years, where the farmer told John it would be his last year to sell corn. The farmer planned to retire and place his farm up for sale. John leapt for his brick-shaped mobile telephone and called his attorney. West had outgrown its Kellogg Boulevard facility and the city hadn't shown any interest in allowing the company to realize its expansion plans. John surreptitiously purchased that farmer's land and the farmland adjacent to it, parcel by parcel, until he'd acquired roughly 275 acres - where now sits the campus for Thomson Reuters, which employs some 6,000 people. The entire campus was constructed under John's supervision. John retired from West Publishing in 1996 - on his seventy-second birthday, or fifty years from the day he'd been hired. The sale of West Publishing, which occurred that same year, allowed John to retire a wealthy man. At the time, John was vice president of engineering and facilities and a member of the board of directors - the only director without a bachelor's degree or a law degree. In 1996, John encouraged Helene to retire so the two of them could travel. They have been around the globe, often pairing adventure travel with their philanthropic work. John and Helene have been a couple since long before they were married. Helene has been John's champion, the perfect complement to his charismatic personality; she brought to their marriage comparable fidelity to the Catholic faith and an equal devotion to family. She has softened him, encouraged his philanthropy, and played the good-natured foil for his witty banter. John is the love of Helene's life and vice-versa. She has remained faithfully at his side throughout their life together and we must believe he felt her presence, her love, until he drew his final breath. The measure of a man is not how great his faith is but how great his love is. Throughout his twenty-two year retirement, John has given away millions to hospitals and health clinics, churches and schools, orphanages and nursing homes, civic groups and private enterprises, families and individuals. The beneficiaries of his philanthropy are the ill and the aged, orphans, schoolchildren, police, firefighters, and communities of faith. Many of the recipients of his generosity remain anonymous. We trust God knows how John impacted their lives for we, like John, believe God knows what we do. John was known for his wit, his style, his business savvy. He will long be remembered for his love of faith and family, and for his generosity that impacted the lives of thousands. The son of Lebanese immigrants, the son of St. Paul who never lived more than a few miles from where he was born, has left us to claim his heavenly reward. He will be deeply missed. A special thanks to John's grand nephew, Steve Nasseff, whose devotion to John has been exemplary. Steve deeply cared for John, especially over the last twelve years when their days were shared at the Houle family farm. Together, they cut wood, groomed trails, roasted potatoes, played cribbage, and smoked many cigars. THE ONLY PUBLIC VISITATION will be from 2-7PM with Rosary Service at 7PM TODAY at ST. AGNES SCHOOL, 530 Lafond Ave., St. Paul. (Please use the main school entrance on the corner of Mackubin Street and Lafond Ave). MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be held for close family & friends at the CHURCH OF ST. LOUIS, KING OF FRANCE 9AM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26. THE DIVINE LITURGY OF RESURRECTION will be 6PM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 at ST. MARON'S MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 602 University Avenue NE, Minneapolis. Private family interment. In lieu of flowers we ask that you remember John in your prayers or offer memorials to St. Agnes School, the Holy Family Maronite Catholic Church, the Church of St. Louis, King of France, St. Maron's Maronite Catholic Church or donor's choice. 651-457-6200