Violet Apcar Youna

Violet Youna was born October 12, 1932 in Faw, Iraq. When her father died, she took over his job at the port in Basra. Before passing, her father was adamant that she get an education, so she went to the all-boy’s school, where she was the only girl in class. She didn’t go to college, but instead worked hard so that she could help her sibling go to university. She worked at the US Embassy in Baghdad as a translator and typist, where she met her husband Isaac, who was Assyrian, and they married shortly after. They had her four children–Nora, Freddy, Flora, and Dina–and they lived together in the Assyrian community of Dora. They built their home there, and her children flourished over the next 20 years. When the country underwent civil unrest, they left in 1974. From there, they migrated to the United States of America. She came to Chicago with her family, and lived in the Lakeview neighborhood, where she spent the rest of her life. She built a career at the Heartless Linen factory, where she worked for 17 years. When she retired, she began taking care of her grandchildren in the suburbs. She was incredibly social and spread her joy to everyone she talked to, which was literally everyone. She always kept up with her neighbors and the neighborhood, and loved living across from Bell Elementary School. A hard worker her whole life, she was always sure to take good care of all that was in her charge. She loved to learn, she loved to chat, she loved to travel, and she loved to be with her family.