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In memory of

Ibtisam "Samantha" Daniel Boulos

Surprise, AZ

October 23, 1943 - November 20, 2020

Oct 23, 1943 - Nov 20, 2020

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A LIFE WELL LIVED

Ibtisam Daniel Boulos was born on October 23,1943 to Nergis and Daniel Boulos, in the city of Minya, Egypt, 152 miles south of Cairo. She was the youngest of 5 children, arriving 6 years after her siblings (Samira, Hoda, Paul, and Samir). Today, Minya has one of the highest concentration of Christians in Egypt, approximately 50% of the total population. Her father and grandfather were ministers, who founded 14 churches. Ibtisam’s family home was adjacent to a church and a school that they founded. She was the apple of her dad’s eye, but he died when she was just 7 years old.

After graduating high school, she attended secretarial school and then later married Latif in 1966. They lived in Aswan, a 10-hour drive from Cairo, in a small farming community called Edfu, where scorpions were a daily threat and Latif was the village’s only doctor.

In September 1968, Ibtisam gave birth to a daughter, but only one week later, Latif had to flee Egypt with only a day’s notice in order to go to Brazil and eventually immigrate to The United States, in pursuit of a better life for his young family. During that time, Ibtisam lived in Cairo with her sister Hoda and her brother-in-law Safwat. In July 1969, Ibtisam and her daughter were reunited with Latif in the USA.

In the early years, it was tough. They lived in a small apartment in Queens, NY on a shoestring budget while Latif studied to become licensed to practice medicine in the US. In 1970, they moved to Plainfield, NJ while he did his internship. In 1971, they moved to Brooklyn, NY, while he completed his residency, and Ibtisam gave birth to a son.

In 1974, they moved to a small rural town called Danville, PA. There, they settled down and raised their kids. In the late 1970s, Ibtisam started a career in Information Technology. She took computer classes and worked at Geisinger Medical Center in the MIS Department. She adopted the name “Samantha” (from “Bewitched”) and started her day at 6am so she could be home in time for her kids return from school each day. Ibtisam was a great cook and loved to entertain in their home. She often hosted the family’s many relatives for a weekend or a holiday, and the family often took trips to NY, NJ, PA, VA, and FL to visit them as well. She and her family also went back to Egypt several times to visit extended family there. She was affectionately known to her extended family as “Bessam”.

In 1987, Ibtisam remarried and moved to a Chicago suburb. She always made sure her to spend time with her kids, taking them on trips to CA, The Bahamas, and Australia. She even joined Nancy in AZ on her very first lone work trip - a well-kept secret from Nancy’s company!

Ibtisam lived in the chilly Chicago area for 21 years. She enjoyed being a career woman and always chose jobs where she interfaced with people. She worked as a jewelry store salesperson, an insurance company financial rep, and a realtor. Before long, she was showcasing her natural sense of style as a corporate interior designer. Eventually, she entered the field of banking, where she always emerged as the top performer in each bank. She earned MVP awards and supervised up to 10 people at a time. She continued to travel the world, visiting Egypt, Australia, and 6 countries in Europe. She even fulfilled her dream of visiting The Holy Land. With her kids now adults, she also became a fur mom to Classy and later Muppet. In 2002, Ibtisam welcomed her first grandchild, Nadia.

In 2008, Ibtisam and Muppet headed further west in the pursuit of a warmer climate. She fell in love with Surprise, AZ and moved there – into her 7th house. That same year, she was blessed with two new grandchildren, Evelyn & Jonathan. She continued her career, serving as a branch supervisor for First National Bank Texas until she retired in 2014. She continued to enjoy making her house a unique reflection of herself, using it to always welcome family and friends. She continued to maintain close relationships with her family around the world (Egypt, Canada, Australia, and across the USA) and travelled to Cancun with a group of them in 2019. She also made new friends that were just like family to her – in her neighborhood, the churches she attended, and her Meetup groups. When Muppet passed away, she rescued Baby, who lived with her until her passing.

Ibtisam (Samantha, Bessam) was our dearly loved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, cousin, auntie, neighbor, and friend. She faced her cancer with courage and a deep trust in The Lord. We know that she is with Him now, smiling down on the rest of us who miss her very much.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. " Revelation 21:4

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