Nick G. Shaheen

Nick Shaheen Salina, Utah - Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and business associate, Nicholas George Shaheen, age 86, died suddenly of natural causes at his home in Salina, August 17, 2004. He was born September 29, 1917 in Bayou Goula, Louisiana, a son of Joseph Ameen and Amelia Beatrous Shaheen. Nick was raised in White Castle, Louisiana, where he graduated from White Castle High School in 1935. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1941, serving in Europe under General George S. Patton, Jr. of the 28th Infantry 3rd Army. He was injured in the battle of St. Lo, France in 1944. He was honorably discharged in May of 1945 as a Sergeant 1st Class. He married Phyllis F. Foote, June 2, 1945 in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Their marriage was solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple, September 18, 1976. Nick was a prominent Salina businessman with his brother, Ellis, in Shaheen’s Best Western Motel and Restaurant. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nick held the office of High Priest. He served with his wife in the Richfield Regional Genealogical Library for 14 years. As a willing civics promoter, Nick served as chairman of the Salina Hospital Board and was instrumental in founding the Salina Clinic. His devotion to the community and children’s programs led to co-founding the Salina Little League Baseball program, where he served numerous days building and grooming the finest ball parks around. With the background of an athletic champion himself, his love for sports was unsurpassed, supporting the North Sevier Wolves. Longing for family and the bayous, Nick divided his love for life between Louisiana , and hunting and fishing in the local mountains and lakes of Utah. His love for the outdoors, planting trees and working in the soil went hand in hand with lending help to anyone in need. Even more than a hobby was Nick’s passion for the New York Yankees and the LSU Tigers, a tradition he passed on to his treasured children and grandchildren. Nick was proud to be a World War II Veteran and one of “Patton’s Boys”. He loved to entertain with his war stories as well as sharing information from his avid reading. As a well read patriarch of his family, Nick instilled in them a love for knowledge and a fervent desire to serve God. The family would like to extend a loving appreciation to his devoted wife, Phyllis, and to Dr. Mark W. Greenwood and nurse, Sheila Jenson, for their love and care of Nick. Nick is survived by his loving wife, Phyllis, of Salina; children: Nicholas Bruce and Marcia Shaheen of St. George; Larry Joseph and MiShele Shaheen, Dixie S. and Kreig M. Rasmussen, all of Salina; 17 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; brothers and sister, Ellis and Beula Shaheen of Salina; George J. and Lorraine Shaheen, Amelia S. (Earl, deceased) Laniox, all of Donaldsonville, LA. He was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister: Emile J. Shaheen, Raymond Shaheen and Zelpha Shaheen. Funeral services will be held Monday, August 23, 2004 at 12 Noon in the Salina LDS Stake Center, 98 West 400 North in Salina. Friends may call for viewing at the Springer Turner Funeral Home, 150 East Main Street in Salina, Sunday evening from 6 to 8 P.M. and at the Stake Center Monday from 10:30 to 11:30 prior to the services. Burial with military honors accorded by the Salina American Legion Post #36 will be in the Salina Eastside Cemetery under the direction of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield, Salina and Gunnison, Utah.