Susan Sami Ayoob, 58, beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, passed away after her battle with cancer for over a year and a half. Her life was characterized by her courage, grace, and dignity, and she never stopped fighting the good fight. Susan had such a passion for life, cooking, and the love of her family which was the center of her life. She cherished her family and friends and the traditions that connected us. She had a way of hearing the call to care and comfort others through her wisdom and love. Her beautiful smile, kindness, love, generosity, and concern was evident to all who knew her.
The Susan Ayoob Memorial Fund is a tribute to her hard work and dedication in helping others. As a mother with a son diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Susan worked hard to research and find appropriate resources to help her family not only understand mental illness, but also how to best help our loved one.
She worked tirelessly with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as an instructor of the Family-to-Family free 12-week course, which is taught by family volunteers who share similar experiences with their loved ones. Family-to-Family is an educational program that provides education, practical insights, and resources for families who are experiencing the challenges involved in helping a loved one with mental illness symptoms.Susan became active not only in teaching the course, but also in providing guidance, support, and encouragement through phone conferences to family members needing help outside of class time.
Susan was also involved in co-leading a support group, sponsored by the Grant Halliburton Foundation, for mothers with a loved one with a mental illness, addiction, or disability. She offered ongoing phone support and comfort to mothers needing help.
