SIAM, Siham (“Um Mazin”) (Sue)
October 23, 1932 - January 10, 2021
Our beloved mother, mother in law, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend passed away on January 10, 2021 at the age of 88. Siham Khalil Hamad Siam was born in Silwan, Jerusalem, Palestine and was one of the first young women to finish high school in her village. Commonly known in the American Arab Muslim community as “Um Mazin”, she married fellow Silwani Mustafa Siam in 1954 and they immigrated to the USA with their son Mazin in 1956. The growing family, which now included their second son Murad, moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Their third son Mousa was born six years later.
Haji Siham lived in their family home in Northridge for the past 50 years. Haji’s home was always open to family and friends, near and far. A delicious traditional Arabic meal prepared by her was a typical part of the visit. Mom was kind, gracious, selfless, and fiercely independent.
Siham and Mustafa Siam were a founding family of the Islamic Center of Southern California, and later she became active in the Palestinian American Women’s Association (PAWA). She loved to attend their events because she was able to don her traditional attire. She was a strong follower of her Islamic faith and proud of her Palestinian heritage and customs.
Mom spent the majority of her working career as the lead morning cook at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Van Nuys. She cooked breakfast and lunch for hundreds of patients each day. Friday was always her day off so she could worship at the local Islamic Center.
Nothing was more important to Siham than her family. She taught her sons and their families to be strong, respectful and thoughtful. She stressed the importance of religious, social and cultural customs and traditions. She wanted us to love, protect and look after one another, and to do good deeds for others.
Preceded in death by her husband Mustafa, Mom/Tata is survived by her sons Mazin, Murad (Kristi), and Mickey (Laura), grandchildren Karina (Glen) Herold, Kira (Ronan) McKinney, Kayla (Tahar) Betbout, Mitchell (Amanda) Siam, and Zachary Siam, and great grandchildren Nicholas and Camille Herold, Leila and Zoe McKinney, and Kenza and Lyla Betbout. Her living brothers and sisters include Salam, Saed, Salwa, Soad, and Sanaa Hamad.
We will miss our mom in this life, and we know she gladly accepted the call from God to join him in Heaven.
A Covid restricted private funeral service was held on January 12 at Rose Hills Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Siham’s memory to American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) in Washington, D.C. or Palestinian American Women’s Association (PAWA) of Southern California in Orange County, CA.