Zahra (Kassis) Esper

Zahra (Kassis) Esper was born on January 7th, 1942, in the small Christian village of El Fahalee in Syria.  She was one of seven children.  When she was born, her father would proudly take her around the village with him and tell family and friends that he had a feeling that Zahra would someday save the family.  Early on, the family suffered several hardships, first with the loss of her father when Zahra was only 4 years old.  Soon thereafter, her youngest brother, then a baby, passed away.  But Zahra’s mother was a devout Christian who both preached and lived Christ’s message of love, patience, and forgiveness. Zahra too would adopt these values.  She endured many hardships in her life that tested her ability to forgive, and each time she found the strength to do it calling forgiveness “a new life.”  

Zahra’s entire life was filled with arduous work, but she never complained and felt blessed to be able to assist her family in any way possible.  She fulfilled her father’s prophecy when she took jobs away from home in Aleppo and Lebanon, just to be able to earn enough money to get her mother and the family out of debt.  She never wished anything for herself and only sought the well-being and happiness of her loved ones. Zahra said that the greatest gift she ever gave her mother was saving enough money to take her mother to the Holy Land, fulfilling her mother’s lifelong dream.

Zahra met her future husband, Michael, in 1967 when his older sister and her older brother married.  They immediately became friends and had affection for one another.  Michael moved to the United States in 1973, and Zahra, unwilling to marry anyone else, resigned herself to stay unmarried and was joyful to simply care for her aging mother.  In 1977, Michael returned to Syria with the intention to marry Zahra. They were married on August 17, 1977, and 12 days later they both moved to Pittsburgh, PA to start their new life together.  Not knowing the language, culture, or anyone in this new country, Zahra tackled her new life in the only way she knew how - with love, sacrifice, and hard work. Zahra and Michael had two sons, John and James, and sacrificed everything for them so that their sons could focus on their studies and get good educations. 

Zahra was a devout member of the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh where she served in the Society of St. George, as well as the Antiochian Women’s Society.  Church was central to her life. After a brief stint in Texas and before moving back to Pittsburgh, Zahra’s only request from her husband was that the new home he found be close to the church, as she wanted her sons to never miss a service. 

Zahra is survived by her husband Michael, her sons and their wives John (Jessica) and James (Rima), and her five grandkids, Juliana, George, Michael, Luke, and Gabriel – all of whom brought her great laughter and joy.

Family and friends will be received in St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 3400 Dawson Street, Oakland, on Monday, from 5 to 7 p.m., where a funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m.  There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Zahra’s memory.  

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