Rufina Minena Abbas (Daniel)

Rufina Minena Abbas (“Fina”), 45, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2021, while deployed to Ukraine for the United States National Guard out of the state of Washington. She was born on July 8, 1975, in Dennery, Saint Lucia to Joan Frederick and Albert Daniel. She graduated from primary and secondary school in Saint Lucia. When she came to the United States, she took it upon herself to get her high school diploma from a local adult school in Chula Vista, California. It was her dream to go to college and receive her Bachelor’s degree. She accomplished this task in May of 2021 from Grand Canyon University. It was one of the most memorable days of her life because her dream had finally come true.

On December 24, 2004, she got engaged to Chris Abbas while both sides of the family were visiting for Christmas. They eventually got married in Great Falls, Montana on December 28, 2008, after they had both gotten back from deployments to Iraq. She loved serving her country so much that she even gave up her honeymoon for her husband to attend training for the U.S. Army. She was beloved by her soldiers and leadership no matter which unit she ended up in. Rufina worked full-time for the National Guard as a Tools and Parts Attendant. She loved doing logistical work for the military and it brought a sense of fulfillment to her life. She strived for excellence and lived the Army values to every extent possible. She had served 18 ½ years in the Army and was looking forward to retiring in 2023 and either moving to Montana or Tennessee to be closer to family.

Rufina lived every day like it was her last and was always trying to help friends and family out. She was a great mother, wife, sister, daughter, cousin, and just all-around person. She will be forever missed but never forgotten. She is survived by her husband, Chris Abbas; son, Elijah Abbas; mother, Joan Frederick; father, Albert Daniel; brother’s, Nate Frederick, Hyginus Mathurin, Sylus Emmanuel, Dwayne Myers, and Shorn Annerville; sister’s, Lindy Frederick, Leandra Annerville, Maxine Daniel, Miesha Daniel, and Dasia Daniel, and best friend’s Pearlene King and Merlicia Jackson. Plus, all of the other relatives that she touched in some way.

Please join us in celebrating her life on Friday, September 17, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home located at 7405 Mullan Road, Missoula, MT. Following her memorial, she will be laid to rest at the Western Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery with full military honors.