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obituaries<br />
Naima Poota Bahoura<br />
Naima Poota Bahoura, born on February 1,<br />
1929, passed away on October 2, <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
She was the beloved wife of the late Jarjis<br />
Bahoura, and mother of the late Mikhail<br />
(Anwar), Amira Kassab (Basim), Almas<br />
Jaddou (Nazar), Eddie (Raieda), Iklas Bashi<br />
(Maher), Iman Secreto, and Barbara Matti<br />
(Joseph). She was adored, loved and inspired<br />
by her late mother, Wardani Kassab<br />
Poota, her 23 grandchildren, her 24 great<br />
grandchildren, her brothers and sisters, and<br />
her entire extended family.<br />
Naima was a humble servant of Christ<br />
and His Blessed Mother. She died peacefully<br />
and ever so gracefully on the Feast Day of the Guardian Angels, on the first<br />
Friday of the month devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for which she had<br />
a 64-year devotion.<br />
Naima was truly dedicated to her strong faith, her family, all her relatives<br />
and friends. The Lord granted her great joy and peace as she carried<br />
out, for His sake, all the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy throughout<br />
her blessed life. Everywhere she walked, equipped with the Light of Christ<br />
radiating from her perpetual smile, she authentically and deeply lived out<br />
the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.<br />
It is the longing of Naima’s children and family that anyone wishing<br />
to offer a donation in her honor would send checks made out to Adopt A<br />
Refugee and in the memo line, please make sure to write MERCI (Medical<br />
and Emergency Relief for Christian Iraqis). Contact Rafed Yaldo for details<br />
at (248) 762-4210.<br />
Sahira Sesi Konja<br />
Sahira Sesi Konja extended her arms to the<br />
Lord as she entered the gates of Heaven on<br />
October 12, <strong>2015</strong>. She was born on October<br />
23, 1949 to the late Salim and Hannyia<br />
Sesi.<br />
Sahira was strong, passionate, opinionated,<br />
hardworking and selfless. In 1965,<br />
Sahira married Michael Konja and in May<br />
the two recently celebrated their 50th wedding<br />
anniversary. Michael and Sahira have<br />
five children: Faye, Johnny (Cassie), Sandy<br />
(Wisam), Cindy (Nash), and Michael Jr.<br />
They have six grandchildren: Sarina, Kayla,<br />
Shawn, Cassidy, Chloe and Aubrey.<br />
At the age of 16 Sahira began to take sewing classes merely out of interest.<br />
Soon after, curiosity turned into a calling. Her passion and dedication<br />
turned her hobby into a career. In 1984 Sahira and her daughter Faye<br />
opened the doors to Konja’s Bridal, one of the most well-renowned bridal<br />
stores in Michigan. Konja’s Bridal became her empire for over 30 years. She<br />
made sure that every bride walked out of the door with a big smile on her<br />
face as she carried out the dress of her dreams.<br />
Sahira was charitable and loved to give to those in need. She was always<br />
eager to help others and always let her generosity shine through. She was<br />
very determined and didn’t let anything, whether it be illness or simply just<br />
bad timing, stand in her way of lending a helping hand.<br />
Mom, you will be dearly missed by everyone who was graced by your<br />
uplifting presence, but your legacy will live on forever. The Sunday family<br />
dinners that were so important to you will never be the same. Your overflowing<br />
love remains in the hearts of all those whom you encountered. You<br />
are our beautiful angel now shining your light upon us. Rest in peace Mom,<br />
you will always be in our hearts.<br />
Derek J. Sarafa<br />
Derek J. Sarafa — known to most as “DJ”—<br />
son, brother, uncle, friend to hundreds — died<br />
suddenly of natural causes related to a weak<br />
heart at his home in Birmingham on November<br />
1, <strong>2015</strong>. In his short but accomplished life<br />
he earned the respect, honor and love of everyone<br />
he met.<br />
DJ was adored for his loving, gracious<br />
and generous nature. Held up by his parents<br />
and siblings as the rock of the family, DJ’s<br />
great gift was creating memorable moments<br />
and savoring them with his loved ones. He<br />
was beloved for his big heart and largerthan-life<br />
personality. He was endeared to<br />
his 10 nieces and nephews, each in a unique way. DJ had an uncanny<br />
ability to take a genuine interest in each person he encountered. His truly<br />
selfless approach to life extended to all his friends and their families.<br />
DJ was a partner at Winston & Strawn in their litigation department.<br />
In 2011, the Chicago Lawyer magazine selected him from more than 1,200<br />
nominees as one of the “Top 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40.” Chicago Lawyer<br />
described him as having “an exceptional work ethic,” as being an “aggressive<br />
and agile questioner,” and as demonstrating advocacy “on par with the<br />
finest” that one federal judge had seen in his 23 years on the bench.<br />
DJ received a B.A. in Political Economy, with high honors, from James<br />
Madison College, MSU in 1994 and his J.D. from the U of Law School in<br />
1997, where he was senior editor of the Michigan Law Review. He was a<br />
board member of Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation and active in<br />
the Birmingham Brother Rice High School Leadership Institute.<br />
DJ is survived by his parents, Sameer and Rosie, his siblings David (Evit),<br />
Dennis, and Suzanne Nelson (Michael), and 10 nieces and nephews.<br />
Georgette Hanna Sarraf-Sorisho<br />
Georgette Hanna Sarraf-Sorisho was born<br />
on July 1, 1931. Georgette was not just any<br />
Chaldean Catholic, she was a true saint living<br />
among us. Her life revolved around prayer.<br />
She was always in peace; you could tell by her<br />
smile and through that smile came the word<br />
of God. She taught all her children, grandchildren,<br />
nieces and nephews how to take the<br />
time to pray on a daily basis, no matter how<br />
busy and difficult their lives were.<br />
Our mother Georgette also taught us how<br />
to be a patient, forgiving and humble person.<br />
We know she is watching and praying for us<br />
in heaven.<br />
She was the mother of nine beautiful children: Dayar & Adnan Najor,<br />
Bashar & Amal Sarraf, Nawar & Nobil Kirma, Janar & Scott Zilincik, Sanar<br />
Sarraf, Manar & Joseph Haddad, Bahar & Shawn Karmo, and Amar & Eva<br />
Sarraf. She was predeceased by her daughter Hadar Sarraf and grandson Naseam<br />
Najor.<br />
The daughter of Hanna Sorisho and Munira (Shammo Najor) Sorisho,<br />
Georgette was the sister of the late Azzat and Imad Sorisho and wife of Shafik<br />
Toma Sarraf.<br />
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ayad, Athear, Rommy, Rana and<br />
Ruba (Najor) & Saif Shaman; Fadia (Sarraf) & Dan Frangie, Mina (Sarraf) &<br />
Ghassan Allo and Zena Sarraf; Nobil, Diane, and Mathew; Peter & Natalie<br />
Najor and Austin Zilincik; Joseph, Jade and Mark Haddad; Heba, Lara and<br />
Joelle Karmo; and Elena, Angelina and Julian; and her great grandchildren,<br />
Liliana and Lucas Frangie.<br />
We miss our dear mother Georgette and we love her so very much. Rest in<br />
peace Mama, you’re in our hearts and prayers always.<br />
<strong>DECEMBER</strong> <strong>2015</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 17
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