Memorial

Alberta Nassif Rogers, “Bobbie”, lived life on her terms.  Despite her physical challenges, she was fiercely independent, tough as nails, and smart.  Even when the doctors predicted she wouldn’t live past her fifties, she stubbornly refused to accept that fate, living for 30 more years traveling, working, and enjoying family.

Bobbie was born Alberta May Nassif, on August 1, 1938, the first of ten children of Albert G. Nassif and Maheba Nussrallah Nassif.  Being the apple of his eye, Bobbie was named after her father, Albert.  She died Christmas Day on December 25, 2021, at the age of 83.  

Throughout her life, she remained extremely close and best friends with her sister, Mary Batenhorst.  Regardless of where they lived and the number of miles that separated them, they talked and visited each other often.   

Alberta was the first of the Nassif clan to attend Immaculate Conception Grade School graduating in 1952; and then Mt. Mercy Academy High School graduating in 1956.  Alberta then attended Mt. Mercy Junior College, and after graduating in 1958, transferred to the University of Iowa.   

At the University of Iowa, Alberta majored in Business, preparing her for several exciting career opportunities.  She moved from Iowa to Denver where she took her first office job, learned to ski, and proved she could survive on her own. She had a flirtatious manner, witty sense of humor, a great sense of style, and a knack for being noticed by men upon entering a room.  She was also beautiful, easy to talk to, and loved to laugh and have fun.   

In 1965, Alberta married William “Bill” Rogers, a man she found adventuresome and exciting.  Bill taught her to hunt bear, fly a glider, and fish the Alaskan wild.  His work took them to Kansas City where she became the personal secretary and administrative assistant to the Governor of Kansas.  She loved the challenge of this position, especially the excitement of dealing with legislators and criminals alike who she screened for meetings with the governor. 

In Kansas, Bobbie had her first brush with death, as a tornado ripped through her apartment as she sat blissfully unaware under a loud hairdryer.

Their next move was to Omaha, Nebraska where she took a job in a stock brokerage firm.  She learned to read financial reports, analyze stocks, and trade securities.  Although she never became a broker, it was exhilarating dealing with high-end clients and profitably investing her own money.      

After moving one last time to Phoenix, she and Bill separated.  And, Bobbie found a new love, Thor, her Alaskan Husky, a huge and playful dog who outweighed her by 20 pounds.  She loved Phoenix and remained till the day she died.  It was there that Bobbie pursued her life-long career as a legal secretary and then paralegal.  She was a quick study, hard-working, extremely professional, and smart and had job offers from a number of prestigious law firms.  Her boss often commented that Bobbie knew as much about the law as he did and could have easily taken his place in court.
 
Alberta was 35 when she contracted a spinal disease that left her paralyzed.  It was only through her fierce determination and hard work in rehab that she learned to walk again. But despite her hard work, the disease took its toll and Alberta remained disabled and in pain the rest of her life. 

Most people would have surrendered their independence to live with family or, later, to live comfortably in an assisted living facility.  Not Bobbie.  She insisted on remaining in Phoenix and living on her own.  Her resolve did not change despite later contracting (and defeating) breast cancer and surviving a serious car crash that should have killed her.  In fact, she did die on the operating table only to be revived.   She again went through months of rehabilitation. Her will to live was remarkable.   

Despite all of these adversities, Alberta continued to work as a paralegal into her sixties.  She shunned canes, walkers and wheelchairs as long as she could despite the pain.  She loved driving “hot cars”, especially her beloved Firebird. She had a penchant for languages and took French and Arabic classes for fun.  She traveled the world, sometimes with family and friends, and sometimes by herself.  She was active in fund-raising efforts for cancer survivors and took Yoga classes for fitness, and swam daily.  She was also proud of being a Eucharistic minister for several years.  

Bobbie was also “the shopper” who often bought festive glam, crazy teeshirts for nieces and nephews or sexy lingerie for her siblings.  She was also the “fun” Aunt Bobbie who conspired with nieces for that belly button piercing or bleached blond hair style their mothers refused to get them. 

She loved going out to eat, seeing shows and gambling in Vegas, and entertaining family who came to visit.  She was an avid reader and kept abreast of current events.  She often sent news articles to each of her siblings that she thought was of interest to them.  Most of all, Bobbie prided herself on her independence and looking her best, always.

Alberta is survived by her sister, Mary Batenhorst, of La Crescenta, CA; brother, Douglas Nassif and his wife, Regina, of Cedar Rapids; sisters, Jeanne Amosson, and husband, Tom, of Cedar Rapids, and Shirley Nassif Hunter and husband, Philip, of Alexandria, LA; brother, Joseph Nassif of Cedar Rapids; and, sister, Christine McCann, and husband, Casey, of Lafayette, CA; several nieces and nephews; and several great nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her brothers, Richard Allen Nassif and Michael John Nassif, and her sister, Linda Joy Nassif.

The family wants to extend special thanks to Christine and Dave Cross, extended family members, for their compassion and vigilance and loving care of Alberta during her last hours.  The family is extremely grateful and indebted to them for their generosity and kindness.   

A family mass will take place at Immaculate Conception Church followed by a private burial at St. George’s Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, IA.  Later in the spring, there will be a Celebration of Life to remember Alberta May Rogers.  We hope you come.  Memorial gifts in Alberta’s memory can be made to Immaculate Conception Church, 857 Third Ave, S.E., Cedar Rapids, IA, or The Hall-Perrine Cancer Center of Mercy Hospital, https://www.mercycare.org/giving/cancer/.