I have known Nadia and Afteem through my mum and surprisingly when I entered the Faculty of Health Sciences during my University years when he husband used to teach  health. In her young days, my mum used to teach Arts and Crafts in a night School  and Nadia and Afteem used to attend her courses, and after that, because my Grandma's house was near the School , and because my mum is a relative of Afteem, they used to come over often to have coffee.
During my University years, we used to visit Nadia and Afteen in the weekends and I used to fancy so much their company and conversations. You never get bored when you are at the Acra's especially the discoveries and researches that Professor Afteem used to share.  The atmosphere was always warm and welcoming and Nadia's hospitality and kindness was so outstanding...that you forget yourself in the exciting conversations and time runs so quickly.. then you force yourself to leave longing for a second sunday visit that you look forward to.
Nadia and Afteem are two of a kind.. such beautiful and unforgettable souls and hearts that we will miss all of our lives..



Mama,
Can you be defined by your smile alone?
Can you be defined by the abundance of your love alone?
Can you be defined by the depth of your generosity alone?
Can you be defined by your continued  sacrifice alone?
Mama, you are defined by all these , and much more. 
Thank you, Habibiti Mama, for all that you have given us, and much more
I love you, Mama 
Sari


My mother, my angel, has now found a higher repose from which she shepherds me 

Mama has always been my shepherd.  Seeing in me the eyes and hands of an artist even as a young child, she made sure I had the inspiring exposure to art in all its forms and the access to  tools to practice my chosen craft. At 5 yrs. of age , I would accompany her to the old souks of Beirut to buy fabric, where she introduced me  to the sheen of silk, the sturdiness of cotton,  and the vividness of damask patterns.  At that tender age, she taught me the art of the deal, negotiating with shopkeepers to stretch my modest budget to its fullest. At age 7, encouraged by Mama, I created my first design, a beautiful little empire dress made of Guipere lace. When I was 10, though of modest means, she would hire a live-in seamstress to help me execute my creations. When the time came for college, she stood up for the rights of her daughter to move to the big city across the waters, with New York my future home and canvass for my creativity. On that international stage, I became the first Arab woman fashion-designer, three words that to that point had never been stitched together 

My Mama was a pioneer in many ways, well beyond how she fostered her children to pursue their  dreams. In the conservative setting of the 1950’s Middle East, when few women could pursue higher education, my mother adamantly followed her dream. Mama Nadia  always new she had a calling to help others, and as such, was one of the first graduates with a degree of Public Health Nursing in 1953 from the American University of Beirut. With steadfastness, she and other women pioneers  paved the way for the future generation of young women  to pursue their own dreams of higher education. She spent the next 30 yrs. as a Public Health Nurse, never straying from her bond to her community, and from her role as an instrument of change

Mama, you have embraced us, inspired us and guided us.  I love you.  May you hover over us forever

I remember I always used to visit her every Sunday, and feed her and keep her company. 
She was always joyful, no matter the circumstances. It was nice to visit her with a nice smile on her face everyday.

She always used to try and be funny, by sticking out her tongue or laughing all the time. My condolences.


                  Sincerely, 
             Ayla
     

My heartfelt condolences to the whole family. I have fond memories of Nadia reading my coffee grounds when I would see her at Fadi's or Reem's house.  Although I did not always admit it, her accounts were many times quite relevant. 

I enjoyed the humorous zingers she would inject into conversations as she would sit quietly, seemingly not paying attention.

One could count on Nadia for truthfulness, such as the time I visited after not seeing her for some time.  Her initial greeting: "Hello Chris...you got fat."

Love to all her family and friends.
Chris

OBITUARY

Nadia A. Acra

30 March, 1930 – 29 April, 2020

Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home

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