El-Sabaaly, Marie (Sperfslage)

 Marie (Sperfslage) El-Sabaaly, 56

Nov. 17, 1953   – Jan. 13, 2010

Marie (Sperfslage) El-Sabaaly, wife of Peter (Boutros) El-Sabaaly and daughter of Robert and Helen (Burkle) Sperfslage, passed away after a 26-year battle with breast cancer. Her gallant fight was an inspiration to all who knew her.

 Marie was born in Monticello, Iowa, grew up on the family farm in rural Greeley, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. She graduated as a registered nurse and worked at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, when she married Peter (Boutros) El-Sabaaly on Dec 30, 1978, while residing in Iowa City. Shortly thereafter they moved to Lebanon. Due to the unrest there, they moved back to Iowa City. At the age of 30, her cancer was diagnosed. They moved to Des Moines, Madison and finally Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee, Wis., where she had resided for over 20 years. Due to her cancer she remained childless but she dedicated her life to helping children in clinics and hospitals. Hours before her death, Marie was informed she was being honored with the “Marie El-Sabaaly Nursing Scholarship Fund” at Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin. 

 She will be sadly missed by her friends and family and co-workers. 

 Marie is survived by her husband, Peter (Boutros) El-Sabaaly; her parents, Robert and Helen (Burkle) Sperfslage of rural Greeley, Iowa; four siblings, Alice (Sperfslage) Pollock of New York, Bernice (Sperfslage) Langel of Cedar Rapids, Irvin Sperfslage of Manchester and Cyril Sperfslage of Cedar Rapids; five sisters-in-law, Andree, Celine, Marcelle El-Sabaaly, Nina (Montague) Sperfslage and Michele (Gorman) Sperfslage;   nieces and nephews: Jeni, Mark and Matthew Langel and Eric and Jason Sperfslage.

 She was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Ralph and Tekla (Goedken) and Theresa (Goedken) Burkle; fraternal grandparents, George and Mary (Ploesel) Sperfslage; mother- and father-in-law, Majidi and George El-Sabaaly.

 Memorial Mass: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica Church, 104 Third St. SW, Dyersville, Iowa, with lunch immediately following.