Mary Ina

MARY INA. The Lord called His strongest warrior queen home on the wings of angels on April 14, 2018, where she was reunited with her husband and love of her life, Nasser. In their more than 70 years of marriage, they raised seven loving and faith-filled children: Houda Afech (laid to rest Feb. 1) and husband Nabih; Mona Phillips; Antoinette Khalil and husband Elie (laid to rest April 4); Tony and wife Deborah; Albert and wife Ghada; Norman and wife Thelma; and Mounir and wife Gay. She was grandmother (‘Teta’) to 24, and great-grandmother to 24. She taught all by her incredibly powerful example to love God and family, to be strong, and if something was worth doing, to fight hard to the end to see it through. She was born in 1920 in Aitaneet, Lebanon, to Abdullah and Elmaz Richa, one of five children. She met and married her soulmate Nasser and started a family. They came to the United States in 1975, where they lived in Detroit, MI until 1993, then moved to Strongsville, OH. She was an active member of St. Maron’s Church, where she faithfully attended Mass every Sunday to thank God for her blessings and share fellowship with her parish family as long as she could. She was loved, admired, and respected by all who met her. Sometimes, a little feared. She will be remembered by so many people for so many qualities. She defended and protected her children and all those in her heart fiercely. She loved to feed people, often and abundantly. Though many tried, no one could prepare a meal like she could. She loved winning (not playing) card games. She loved going to Big Boy’s, and finding deals at Marc’s. And whether it was parsley or her children, she took immense pride in the garden she grew. We love you, Mary/Mom/Immie/Teta. By your example, you have given us the recipe to follow to strengthen each other in adversity and raise each other even higher in celebration. You fought hard until the end. May you rest in eternal peace, free of pain and with the knowledge that your lessons to feed our faith and nurture our family live on. The family would like to thank her caretakers at Hospice and at Willowood of Brunswick. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Maron Church, 1245 Carnegie Ave., Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at 11 a.m. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends received at RIPEPI FUNERAL HOME, 5762 PEARL RD. (AT SNOW RD.), MONDAY 4-8 P.M. with Prayers of Incense at 7 p.m.