Faten Kassees Ashrawi of Spring, Texas passed away unexpectedly on August 5, 2024.

Born in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Palestine to Siham Nakhleh Jubran and Adel Khalil Kassees, Faten spent the first part of her life in Ramallah, Palestine. A 1976 graduate of The Ramallah Friends School, Faten went on to earn her bachelor's degree from Birzeit University. In 1982, she was accepted as a scholar in the prestigious Fulbright program and immigrated to America to earn her Master's in Healthcare Administration at Loma Linda University in California.

During a visit to see a friend in Texas, she met Samir Ashrawi. When Samir laid eyes on Faten, his first words were "أنعشتيني", which is Arabic for "you quenched my soul." The two married on April 21, 1985 at the Mar Elias Monastery in Bethlehem, Palestine and set to work growing their family with four children – Yazan (37), Yara (34), Raneem (29), and Rawan (27). Back in Texas, Faten lived with her family in Austin for nearly two decades, where she was well known for hosting holiday parties for family and friends, caring for her "adopted mother" Alma Hanson, and being an active parishioner at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church.

After moving to The Woodlands, Texas in 2005, Faten quickly brought her family to join the parish of St. Anthony the Great Antiochian Orthodox Church. A devout and faithful woman, Faten was very involved with the Martha and Mary (M.A.M.) Ladies' Society at St. Anthony.

With her fierce wit and endless strength, Faten worked in many healthcare settings while also raising her four children and managing a busy household. She spent many years as an international patient liaison and Arabic medical translator at Houston Methodist before her retirement in 2020. She adored her two grandsons, Samir Yazan Ashrawi and Rami Emile Ashrawi, who filled her with so much joy. In her spare time, Faten enjoyed swimming, traveling, and working on challenging puzzles and word games. Faten kept relationships with friends from far and wide with her gift of gab, open heart, and infectious laugh.

She is remembered by all as a devout and faithful woman, whose endless sacrifice for her husband and children made the bounty of their lives possible.

She is preceded in death by her beloved mother Siham, younger brother Wael, and Alma Hanson. She is survived by her husband Samir; son Yazan and his wife Amber; grandchildren Samir and Rami; daughter Yara; daughter Raneem and her fiancé Russell; daughter Rawan and her husband Shibly; father Adel; sister Fadia and her husband Peter; brother Waleed and his wife Siham; in addition to many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins within her wonderful extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Faten's honor to The Palestine Children's Relief Find https://www.pcrf.net/, an organization that was dear to her.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Faten's life at the following services:

· Visitation at St. Anthony the Great Antiochian Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas on Thursday, August 8, 2024 from 5-7pm, followed by a Trisagion prayer service. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall, graciously hosted by the M.A.M. Ladies' Society.

· Funeral services at St. Anthony on Friday, August 9, 2024, beginning at 2pm and followed by a procession to the burial service at Klein Memorial Park. A Meal of Mercy will follow in the St. Anthony Fellowship Hall.

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