Obituaries

George Shadid Nasser, Jr. passed away peacefully on December 4, 2023, in Maryville, TN after a valiant two-year battle with lung cancer.  George was born on December 12, 1940, in Los Angeles, California to George Shadid Nasser Sr. of Lawrence, MA (via Hammana, Lebanon) and Marie Louise Hajj of Brooklyn, NY (via Cairo, Egypt). The eldest of three children, George graduated from Reseda High School in 1958 before entering the United States Navy and Navy Reserve, where he served from 1958-1964.  George loved growing up in Southern California. As a first generation American, his world was filled with Lebanese food and a myriad of Arabic and French speaking relatives who had also settled in Los Angeles. George regretted that he and his siblings were not taught Arabic, however, they were pleased to pick up the random curse words they weren’t meant to overhear. His father worked for the Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) film studio as a film cutter, and when his parents brought him in for a screen test, he was offered a studio contract on the spot. The family decided against it though when they were informed of the expensive signing fee. “Georgie” just missed his chance at Hollywood.  George married Linda Lee Walter in 1963, whereupon he became a father to her 2-year-old son, Jeffrey. Sons Jason and Jordan followed. A longtime computer software enthusiast, George built his career working for IBM, Carrier, and Oracle, which took the family from California to Washington, Wisconsin, New York, and Indiana, before they eventually settled in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1978.  In 1981 George married Mary Nell Sauls of Alcoa, TN, and he became a stepfather to her son, John. He and his loving wife were together for 39 years, until her untimely passing in 2020. During their nearly four decades together, they supported each other with every step. When George was let go from his job at 63 years old, he boldly forged a new career as a chef, finding work at Maryville College and the Delta Zeta sorority house at the University of TN. He loved interacting with the students, many of whom became additional family members to him and Mary.  Preceded in death by his parents George Shadid Nasser, Sr. and Marie Louise Hajj Nasser, his brother Raymond Edward Nasser, and his beloved wife Mary Nell Sauls Nasser. Survived by his sons Jeffrey, Jason (Sharon), Jordan (Jan), and stepson John (Millie); sister Yvonne; grandchildren Matthew, Erica, Robert, Taylor, Zachary, Nathan, Nicholas, Mabel, and Margot, as well as several great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family members, and more friends than he could count. The family would especially like to thank Kat Compton for her caring guidance during her Uncle George’s final transition.  George’s favorite poet Kahlil Gibran wrote, “When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”  In his final days, when asked what he would like in his obituary, George did not hesitate.  “If you’re reading this, I’m not here. I love you all.”