Josephine Lutfy Zainea

Josephine Zainea (Lutfy), aged 87, went to be with her Lord on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Josephine was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years Anthony Sr., son Anthony Jr., brother Joseph (Alice) Lutfy, sisters Mary (Isaac) Zainea and Jeanette Terese Lutfy. Surviving are her brother John Lutfy, daughter-in-law Ellen (David) Zainea-Spoelhof, children: Thomas Zainea, Mary Elizabeth Zainea, Shirley “Zainea” Schuelke, David Zainea, Barbara (Daniel) VanderWerf, Jim (Stephanie) Zainea, grandchildren: Benjamin (Heather) Zainea, Deborah (Eric) Rodegher, John Zainea, Thomas (Kristy) Schuelke, Theresa (Eric) Ledbetter, Nicholas (Brianna) Schuelke, Joshua (Jessica) VanderWerf , Nathan and Timothy VanderWerf, Morgan and Ryan Zainea, great-grandchildren: Hana, Lea, Noah, Jonah, Sylvia, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends. Josephine was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. To help support her family, throughout high school Josephine worked as a soda fountain girl, and later as a secretary. She met her true love Anthony at an Amo-Sy Club Dance. He asked her to save a dance for him, and the two continued to dance until his death in 2012. She was an amazing servant to the Lord and to her family. She was a devout Catholic who regularly prayed the Rosary, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She will be remembered for her heart of gold, her unbelievable patience, her generous hospitable nature, her love of all and her culinary gifts, especially her Syrian cooking. Her Sunday feasts were always well attended. Throughout the years she volunteered at God’s Kitchen, Meals on Wheels, St. Jude Chicken BBQs, and much more. Please join her family for visitation at Reyers North Valley Chapel on Monday, March 3, 2014 from both 2-4 and 6-8pm. The Rosary will be prayed at 7pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at St. Jude Catholic Church (1120 Four Mile Rd NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525). Please join for one hour of additional visitation at the church from 10am until the time of Mass at 11am on Tuesday. The family would like to extend a special thanks to great nephew Dan Zainea, special niece Rosemary Toole, grandchildren Joshua (Jessica) VanderWerf, and the entire staff at St. Ann's Home for their care, companionship and compassion. For those who wish, please consider a memorial contribution in memory of Josephine to the Carmelite Monastery (4300 Mt. Carmel NE, Ada, MI 49301), or the Carmelite Sisters of St. Ann’s Home (2161 Leonard NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49504).