Stockbridge —Â Nabih Nejaime, 88, of Stockbridge, passed away peacefully Monday, January 8 at Wingate Residence in Pittsfield.

Born April 29th, 1935, in view of the Cedars in Maasser-el-Chouf, Lebanon to the late Najeeb and Adele Nejaime, Nabih was educated in hospitality and the culinary arts and worked in the finest Beirut hotels.
In the summer of 1955 Nabih met Marilyn when she visited the American University in Beirut. They married September 25th and moved to the U.S. on a trial basis that continued for the next 68 years.
Spring of 1964 saw Nabih and Marilyn move their young family to Stockbridge for the first of many bold ventures, establishing Nejaime’s Stockbridge Shop as a full-service family grocery store and 22-year Main Street fixture, employing anyone willing to don an apron and work.
Instinct, determination, fearlessness and a singular ability to instantly forge relationships with everyone he met inspired and drove Nabih’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Christmastime 1970, Nabih went to the Stockbridge Wine Cellar on Elm Street to get beverages and left with a handshake deal to purchase the business, which later grew to three liquors stores still operating today under second and third generations.
In 1972 he bought the former Ford dealership building in Lee and opened a 10,000-square-foot grocery store. It had closed in 1976, but he remade it into a mini-mall and sold it by the mid-80s. Never deterred by inherent business risks, Nabih relished the next project.
In the early 80’s Nabih began hand-baking an Armenian style flatbread known as Lavasch. Customers loved it so much he couldn’t make it fast enough. Soon he was operating a large-scale commercial bakery in the Stockbridge Industrial Park, producing dozens of products including Nejaime’s Lavasch under his distinct recipe, which continues today as Guiddo’s (Grandfather’s) Lavasch.
Nabih’s embrace of the American dream was evidenced by his tireless work ethic and his willingness to serve the community. He enjoyed his time on the Berkshire Hills Regional School committee, Kiwanis as past president, St. Joseph of Stockbridge and St. Ann of Lenox fund-raising committees, Stockbridge Republican Town Committee as chairman, and Berkshire County Republican Committee Chairman and Republican of the Year.
Nabih also was a life-long member and past president of the Maasser Annual Reunion Association (M.A.R.A.), our 90-year association celebrating the proud family history of our ancestral village in Lebanon.
In 2009 Nabih was the first to be honored with the Founders of America Award by the Southern Berkshire Literacy Network, recognizing his example as an immigrant building the character and texture of our community and our country.
Nabih will be remembered as kind, gentle, always approachable, certainly opinionated and a forward thinking traditionalist. The long and sometimes illustrious list of family, friends and new acquaintances who gathered at the home they made on Park Street for meals and fellowship is testament to his love of people and although mostly they got to hear his often-lengthy stories, their stories of how he impacted their lives are truly gratifying to all whom he left behind.
The relationships Nabih and Marilyn established and cherished are of immeasurable inspiration to all who knew him. Always in jacket and tie, Nabih enjoyed every aspect of his business activities. Nabih lived a life full of love for family, faith and country.
He is survived by his loving devoted wife of 68 years, Marilyn Nejaime, along with their four children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He counted them as his greatest joy and blessing. Son Jim Nejaime, wife Heidi, daughters Jordan Wilson (Chris), Alyssa O’Malley (Conor)and Meagan Nejaime (John Caruso); son Joe Nejaime, wife Dana, daughters Jenna McCarthy (Justin), Adria Gallagher (Andy) and Lily Nejaime; daughter Chrissi Berger, husband John, son Corey (Josephine), daughters Chelsea Avola (Nick) and Haley Haddad, (Derrick), and daughter Judy Marzotto, husband Bruce, sons Mark (Lena) and Kevin. He also leaves his sister Noel (Theresa) Rashid Nejaime. And great grandchildren Marielle, Grant and Thomas McCarthy, Olivia and Benjamin Haddad, Joelle and William Gallagher, Maddox and Colette Berger, Alexander Avola.
He was pre-deceased by brother George Nejaime, sister Nadia Matney and infant granddaughter Victoria Yvonne Nejaime, brothers-in-law George Matney, George Rashid Nejaime and sister-in-law Najat Nejaime.
The family wishes to sincerely thank the Wingate Residence staff and community for the loving care provided to Nabih and Marilyn.
SERVICE — Liturgy of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, January 13, at 12 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church, 134 Main St., Lenox, with Monsignor John Bonzagni and Father CJ Waitekus, concelebrants. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to M.A.R.A c/o Hyatt Comporesi, 73 Highview Drive, Harwinton, CT 06791. To send remembrances to his family please go to www.finnertyandstevens.com