Massud Shahin Nury

Our loving father passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on August 4, 2024. Massud (Mike) Nury was born in Tehran, Iran in 1924 to Amir-Mohazeb and Fakhretaj Shahin Nury. He was the eldest of three children.

He came to the U.S. in 1945 and began his education at the American International University in Springfield, MA. After being in the U.S for a year, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Korea during the Korean Occupation. Upon completion of his military service, he returned to California and enrolled at U.C. Berkeley.

In 1951 he traveled to London where he met his future wife Zarrin Amir-Ebrahimi. After a whirlwind romance they married in San Francisco. Dad completed his B.S. and M.S. degree in Food Science at U.C. Davis. One year later they started their family and had three daughters they raised in Fresno, CA.

In 1953 he began his career as a Research Chemist in Fresno at Vie-Del Company (a winery, distillery and grape juice concentrate processor). Through hard work and perseverance, he achieved the American Dream becoming President of Vie-Del Company and eventually purchasing the company in 1990.

Dad was an entrepreneur and innovator. Among his many achievements and innovations, he pioneered the use of ion exchange processing for the wine industry, developed blending wines used in blended whiskeys, as well as developed a color standard for grape juice concentrate measurement which was adopted worldwide and is still used as a benchmark today. He singlehandedly was responsible for the U.S. fruit juice industry recognizing California Grape Juice Concentrate as a blender in fruit juice beverages and other products.

Mike was Chairman of the California Wine Institute, President of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, a member of Fresno Downtown Rotary, a past Board Member of Fresno Community Hospital, the Fresno Philharmonic, and a past member of the California State University of Fresno Presidents Club.

Dad enjoyed playing tennis, skiing and was an avid fan of music. He loved his family above all else. Mike and Zary hosted many of their nieces and nephews from abroad while they studied in the U.S. He was a loving husband of 64 years, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many.

All of his grandchildren developed very deep and personal relationships with him. He was always interested in what they were doing. They were all able to be with or speak to him and express their love in his final hours.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and his sister, Homayoun.

He is survived by his loving brother, Dr. Fred Nury and his wife Lili, daughters Susan Gittens (Larry), Roxanne Stephenson (Chuck) and Dianne (Ninie) Ruof (Mark). He also leaves behind grandchildren Christopher Stephenson (Lindsey), Kelly Stephenson, Matthew Stephenson, Nicholas Ruof (Samantha), Alicia Farmer (Martin), Michael Ruof, Mackenzie Ruof, Gina Monreal (Patrick), Miriam Collins (Darragh) and great grandchildren Teddy, Kirby, Charlie, Zarrin, Mina, Maisy, Olivia and Monroe.

We wish to thank Dr. Daniel Borgstadt for his loving and faithful care of our father. Our sincere gratitude to our father’s caregivers, Nohemy, Crystal, Rosemary and Violet for their loving and tender care of our father.

BRAVO DAD TO 100 YEARS WELL LIVED!!

A memorial luncheon will be held at Fort Washington Country Club on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 1 pm.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Massud (Mike) Nury may be made to the Fresno State Foundation Viticulture and Enology Program and/or Clovis Community Medical Center.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Nury family.