Alice Carmel McNassar

Alice Carmel McNassar died Saturday, July 27, at her Portland home following a long illness.  Born on June 8, 1943, in Burlington Iowa, Alice was the fifth of 11 children born to John Leo McNassar Sr. and Mary Katharine McNassar.  During her early years she moved with her family to Denver Colo., Cheyenne, Wyo. and in 1954 to Portland.  Her family located in Southeast Portland where they were members of St. Phillip Neri Parish for many years.  Alice attended St. Philip Neri Elementary School, St. Mary’s Academy (1961) and earned her Bachelor and Masters degrees in Education at Portland State University.

During college Alice spent a year of service in Dillingham, Alaska with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest teaching and caring for native Alaskan children. Following her college graduation she began a life long career in education. She began teaching in the Portland Public School District and went on to serve as a teacher for 25 years at schools including Scott and Glencoe in East Portland and Sitton School in the St. John’s area. Her career with PPS included an additional five years serving in the District’s Curriculum Department.

Throughout her life Alice focused on her family, especially her many nieces and nephews, enriching our lives with her humor and love.  And she spent many hours quietly helping wherever she saw someone in the family or a friend had a need.  We all loved her and will miss her dearly.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Ann Zenner and Sister Mary McNassar, SNJM, brothers John and Patrick McNassar, 6 nieces and nephews, sister-in-law Jeanne P. McNassar and brother-in-law Thomas Newman.  She is survived by her sisters Maureen Zehendner (S. Michael), Jeanne McNassar (Joseph Digman), Kathleen Stewart (Randall) and brothers James, Thomas (Jane) and Michael (Heather) McNassar, 69 nieces and nephews, and partner Daniel Kelner.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Alice will be held on August 2, 2019 at 11 a.m. at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 2408 SE 16th, followed by burial at St. Anthony’s Cemetery, SW Gaarde St. and SW 115th Avenue, Tigard.

Alice’s family would like to thank the Palliative Care and Hospice Care teams from Providence who cared for her during her illness.  We are also grateful to Sonya DeAngelo who cared for her at home.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Providence Cancer Center, Earl Chiles Research Institute, 4805 NE Glisan St, Suite 2N35, Portland, OR 97213, or St Francis Dining Hall, 1131 SE Oak St., Portland, OR 97213.

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