John Nasseff

John Nasseff (February 21, 1924 – February 21, 2018) was an American businessman and philanthropist. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Lebanese immigrants, Nasseff dropped out of high school before joining the U.S. Army in World War II. Upon his return he began working at West Publishing, where he gradually rose through the corporate ranks, eventually becoming a vice president of the company. When it was sold to Thomson Corporation, Nasseff's stock was worth $175 million. He spent his later years as a philanthropist for causes in healthcare, education, and public works.

Early life John Nassef was born on the West Side of Saint Paul, Minnesota, on February 22, 1924, to Betros and Zmorrod Nasseff, immigrants from Lebanon. Betros had originally been rejected at Ellis Island after a mistaken medical diagnosis before eventually crossing the Mexico-Texas border with Zmorrod and arriving in Minnesota in 1916. Nasseff grew up in poverty; his mother sewed together scraps of fabric to sell. Their house was made with tar-paper siding. He enlisted in the Army and fought on the Pacific Front during World War II with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Career

After returning from the military in 1946, Nasseff began working at West Publishing, unloading boxcars.

He donated over $10 million to the Mayo Clinic, mostly for research around neurosurgery. In 2014, Nasseff went on to donate an additional $10 million to St. Agnes, the largest single gift ever to a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, to help build a new activities center.

Later years and death

In his retirement, Nasseff would wear a black beret and walk around downtown St. Paul, where he lived in a 24th-floor condo. He suffered a stroke in 2016.

In January 2018, Nassef's personal caretaker, Nicholas Lofquist-Sprangel, was charged with stealing over $1 million from him over the course of two years through cash, jewelry, and other items. Lofquist-Sprangel pleaded guilty and received a two-year prison sentence.

Nasseff married Helen Houle in 1995.