Zena Massari

Zena Massari, 83 of Atlanta, Georgia passed away peacefully Thursday, October 27 at her home on Beachhill Drive in the Northcrest subdivision where she lived for 55 years. Zena was born in Manchester, England on October 1, 1939.

She grew up in Dukinfield, near Manchester with her sisters Norma and Eileen and her brothers Paul, Robert, and the late Mark. Her parents were the late Robert William and the late Zena Evelyn Reeves.

In 1957, the entire family immigrated to Melbourne Australia where she met her soon to be husband, the late Mario Massari who was working at the immigration welcome center as a chef. It was love at first site and they were soon married. Their daughter, Grace Anne Massari, was born in 1959 in Melbourne. The young family soon got the wander lust and travelled to Italy to meet the Italian side of the family. Their son, Joseph (Giuseppe) Mario Massari was born in Naples in 1963. Shortly after Joe’s birth, the family travelled to the United States to fulfill Mario’s dream to live in the USA. They lived for a few years in New York then moved to Atlanta in 1967 where they lived for the next 55 years.

As many of Zena’s closest friends have said, she was one in a million. She was so talented in so many ways. She was a fantastic knitter, baker, cook, gardener and crafter. She even
dabbled in bowling and golf over the years. Zena had a love for all animals and had many dear cats and dogs as pets over the years. She was very proud of her diverse background and loved to travel with her family and close friends, especially to her beloved Italy. Everyone comments on how kind she always was to everyone and the unique perspective that she brought to any conversation. She also had a bit of a feisty streak at times and a great sense of humor.

The family extends a special thank you to Dr. Panoskaltsis and Dr. Papadantonakis and their teams at the Emory Winship Cancer Center as well as the teams at the Emory infusion centers at Emory University Hospital, John’s Creek and St. Joseph’s.

The family is planning a celebration of life gathering at her family home in Atlanta/Doraville and will communicate the details as they are known.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Zena to the Emory Winship Cancer Center, Alzheimer’s Association or Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.