Cassana Maddox Nablisi was born Cassana Virginia Chestnut, on January 4, 1930, in New York City, New York, the daughter of James Samuel Chestnut and Bessie Anna Hairston-Chestnut. She attended high school at Seward Park High School in Manhattan, joined the United States Navy where she served until the birth of her first son. While working at the American Broadcasting Company as a teletypist at night, she studied and earned a Bachelors degree at Fordham University and a Masters at Teachers College at Columbia University. Following her graduation Ms. Nablisi was awarded a scholarship to King Abdulaziz University in Mecca before it was moved to Jeddah and began a new career as a college professor. As a visiting professor her travels included countries like Iraq, Lybia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and other African, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern countries. Ms. Nablisi passed away May 9, 2008 at the Loma Linda Veterans Hospital of complications of diabetes. She is survived by her three sons Robert, James and Howard Maddox and a daughter-in-law, Anne Maddox. She is missed.