Laurice Rizk

Laurice Rizk

Laurice Rizk passed away peacefully on January 21, 2018, at the age of 88 in Seattle, Washington. Her two daughters, Mona Rizk-Finne and Mimi Rizk Heggelund, her granddaughter Kristine Rizk Heggelund and her sister Aida Mishriky were by her bedside.  Her grandson Erik Heggelund spent numerous hours by her bedside watching over her, and her granddaughter Giselle Gafford traveled from Texas and spent a week of valuable & memorable time with her. Her nephews from Connecticut and many other family members and friends visited her daily throughout her time in hospice.

Laurice was born in Cairo, Egypt where she attended The English Mission College for her education.  Later, she moved with her family to Alexandria, Egypt, where she met and married Magdi Rizk, on February 7, 1948, and had two daughters, Mona and Mimi.

Laurice and Magdi were very social and outgoing individuals. They loved to entertain and play bridge. They also loved to play golf and became champions at their country club. They traveled extensively and lived abroad for many years charting Magdi’s career. In 1971, they moved to the U.S. to reunite with their family; first living in Miami, then after Magdi’s passing, Laurice moved to Seattle in 1994 to be closer to her family.

Laurice loved life, children, learning, the arts and cooking for her family. She was very adventures and progressive for her time, where she spent many years teaching elementary school children in Egypt and later she taught private French classes in Seattle. Laurice also was very active, believing in homeopathic medicine and a wholesome life in raising her children. She lived by those practices for the rest of her life, sharing her experiences and wisdom with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she adored. She also believed in the power of positivity; always exuding a positive attitude, graciousness, kindness and constantly creating excitement and merriment around her. For this reason, she had many friends near and far. The last few years of her life, she spent time creating a family cook book; filled with pictures, family stories and heirloom recipes that will be a family legacy for them to treasure always.

Laurice is survived by her sister, Aida Mishriky and sister-in-law, Betty Ann Rizk; her daughters and their spouses, Mona Rizk-Finne and husband Gunnar Finne, Mimi Rizk Heggelund and husband Per Otto Heggelund; her grandchildren Giselle Gafford and husband David Gafford, Kristine Heggelund, Erik Heggelund; and, her three great-grandchildren, Dean Gafford, Eirik Gafford, and Finn Gafford.

Laurice will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she had touched with unconditional love and graciousness.

Donations can be made in her name to EvergreenHealth Hospice in Kirkland, Washington at

https://www.evergreenhealthfoundation.com/ways-to-give/donate/ (designate hospice) or your local hospice.

4 Responses to “Laurice Rizk”

  • Elizabeth Morse says:

    A wonderful person who I feel blessed to have known. Laurice was an interesting, kind, and energetic woman. I will miss having coffee and discussing current events with her. I know she will continue look over her family, whom she loved much, as their special guardian angel.

  • Lorelle Shearer says:

    Mimi and Family,
    My heart smiles when I look at your mom’s picture. She was always a delight to be with and truly positive, progressive, loving new things and accepting – a treasure.
    We were all blessed to know her.
    Lorelle

  • Prudence Kluckhohn says:

    We will miss this lovely lady! We were part of a weekly bridge group at her Condo for many years and she has been a substitute or our smaller group for the last several years. Today we are using the bridge table cloth she made for Darlene. We miss her and send our condolences to you, who loved her so dearly.
    Darlene Cheever, Alice Peterson, Edith Swisher and Prue Kluckhohn

  • Nejla Sammakia says:

    I knew Laurice as the mother of my school friend, Mona, when we were teenagers in Alexandria, Egypt. Imagine my surprise and delight when we met again at Giselle’s wedding decades later – she became my friend and companion at the event and over the few days I spent there, we shared memories and chatted about everything and I rediscovered what a charming, sweet, smart lady she was. I’m happy to have known her and I know she will be missed.

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