13 people have supported the family by purchasing them flowers or gifts from the Healing Registry.

Dearest Joe, Lilly, Rick, Tom, George and Diane, Your mom was so wonderful. I remember the wonderful memories of your mom, dad, sittu, aunt Lucy and my parents. I miss and love all of them so much. Some day we will all be together again. Love, Linda Besteni Thomas

Hi!

To my Dear Friends, Lily, Joe, Rick, Tom, George and Diane (whew, I think I have that in the right order!!), I am so very sorry for your loss. I loved your Mom and actually anyone that knew her did! She had a kind word for everyone! Growing up across the street from the Shaheen’s, we were all so blessed to have such great neighbors and friends! I do have to share a story about your parents which hopefully will bring a smile to your face. When I was in grade school, occasionally I was locked out of the house. Who knew why but my mother left me clear instructions if I ever was locked out to head over to the Shaheen’’s. (I know this happened more than once!!). Did the Shaheen’s just send me off with a key?? Nope!! They sat me down, made me delirious baloney sandwiches with cucumbers and mayo and they visited with me and fed me!! It’s such a great memory for me and I am so thankful! I think my Mom started to get suspicious at one point!!

Anyway, we love you guys and your Mom and Dad !! ❤️♥️♥️

Sincerely,

Joann McGee

Eulogy by Joe Shaheen
My Mom was pure Love and Faith. She Loved her 6 children Always and Forevermore as she would often say. She loved and cherished all the times she shared with her 8 grandchildren and she adored spending time with her 5 great grandchildren. She loved seeing pictures and videos of all of them. She had great faith and prayed every day for each and every one of us in the family and our spouses and children. She prayed for so many friends and loved ones also. She loved Jesus and the Blessed Mother and prayed the Rosary often.
Happy Face in the Morning was one of her favorite sayings to us growing up. She was positive and loved to laugh. Music brought her great joy and she loved to sing. She also loved when we all sang with her. Christmas evenings would always end with our whole family singing songs together. She had a zest for life and a strong will to keep on living.
My Mom was diagnosed with Congestive heart failure at about 80 years old. She cheated death many times, refusing to believe it, vowing to live on as long as possible. With the help of my brother Tom, and my sisters Lily and Diane she was able to live out her life in her own home, loved and surrounded by her family. Tom, Lily and Diane are truly God’s Angels on earth that helped my Mom enjoy her last years, even in the face of incredible hardship and suffering. Though she was in pain often, my mom always tried to be happy in front of us and offered it up to Jesus.
In October of last year, she was rushed to the hospital where she was in respiratory distress. We were told she may not live even a few more days. The doctors told us to break the news to her. We did not. Less than a week later, she recovered and came home. At the time I told my sister that God was not going to take mom in this hospital setting, but had a special day and time picked out for her.
In January, she was back in the hospital, kidneys failing badly along with fluid build up in the lungs. Again, she survived and came back home. She told us she didn’t want to go back to the hospital again.
Over the last 2 months, all of us, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren came to visit her as often as we could. Just 10 days ago, barely clinging to life, she was very calm and visiting with many of us one by one. She said that she loved all of us, and that God has given her a blessed life, with a wonderful family. She wanted all of us to live life with the same joy with love and happiness as she did. She told us to pray often and God would answer them for us. She said she was still praying for us. That evening, I thought may be her last night alive because she was in distress quite a bit. In true Marie Shaheen form the next morning she rallied and by late afternoon she was singing Frank Sinatra songs.
Even in her final days she would exercise her legs with Diane and I would exercise her hands No Ball is that important was another favorite saying of my mom. We all played sports and we all had our share of injuries. When we were working with her hands last week using small exercise balls, she commented on how important they now were.
My Mom found out some time ago that she was going to have 2 more Great grandchildren. She knew that Taylor and my son Anthony were going to have another boy this June. She was waiting to hear from Milanda and my son Grant who were finding out last Friday whether it would be a boy or a girl. We were all supposed to go over Saturday to surprise her with the news. It was also Diane’s birthday and we wanted to celebrate. As luck would have it, Grant and Milanda were not feeling so well. I went with my wife Darcy and my daughter Elena to see my Mom. She was all smiles to see us. Grant and Milanda face timed my Mom and told her the news that they were having a girl. My Mom was thrilled and filled with joy of having another great grand daughter. Just a few minutes later she asked to be taken out of the room because she was in distress breathing. I called my brothers Rick and George and told them to try and come. My mom fought with everything left in her and stayed alive until Rick and George arrived. She never gave up and took her final breaths in the arms of all 6 of her children. It was a special day God had chosen to take her and she passed away. All the suffering was finally gone and she was at peace.
She was a True Gift from God and a great influence on me and our family. She was so brave and courageous with unwavering faith as she faced her death, and is an inspiration to us forever.
My Mom wanted this gathering to be a celebration of her wonderful life. She wanted singing and laughter to be a part of it. I am sure she is now happy, reunited with my Dad, enjoying the Love, happiness and peace of Eternal Life.

Whata life!! God has blessed you with your Guardian Angel.