NAIMEH TOTAH

Naimeh Totah In Loving Memory of Naimeh Totah, who passed away peacefully with her family by her side on June 17, 2012. She was born in Ramallah, Palestine in 1937. In school, as a child, Naimeh excelled in a variety of disciplines from science to acting and singing. At the age of 20, she graduated at the top of her class from St. Joseph's College with a degree in Education, and was immediately hired by the United Nations to establish a school for refugees. Her innovative teaching techniques were ahead of their time - utilizing visuals and phonics to expedite the learning of reading and writing. Her school was soon recognized as the top school in the United Nations network of schools in Palestine, with her students consistently scoring well above their grade levels. She immigrated to the United States in the early sixties and settled in San Francisco where she remained for the duration of her life. While in San Francisco, she continued her passion for education by teaching English as a second language and Arabic to young Palestinian-Americans. Over the years, she also owned and operated several successful family businesses. Naimeh loved her family dearly, and enjoyed reading, cooking and singing. In recent years, she devoted much of her time and energy caring for her six grandchildren. She will always be remembered for her consistently cheerful disposition, her passion to help family and strangers alike, and her uncanny ability to predict the future and tell fortunes. Loyal wife of the late Mansur Isa Totah, treasured mother of Isa, Suheil (Christine), and Nancy Jean. Loving Grandmother to Camille, Nicholas, Alexander, Christian, Natalia and Joseph Jacob ("JJ"). Cherished sister to Ibrahim (Rima), Georgette, Suad, the late Juilette, the late Jabra Muhawieh (Jamileh), the late George Muhawieh (the late Mary) and to many nephews and nieces. Friends and family are invited to attend the Rosary of our Blessed Mother on Wednesday June 20, 2012 at 7:00 PM and the Funeral Mass on Thursday June 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM at Saint Thomas More Church, 1300 Junipero Serra Boulevard, San Francisco. The Committal Service will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.