Issa Ibrahim Farraj, 70, passed away on February 16, 2015 in Evergreen Hospital Kirkland, Washington.
Issa was born on July 10, 1944 in Jerusalem. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, and a friend to many. Issa enjoyed the simple things in life: family, friends, laughter and a good bottle of Scotch. He was always social, ready with a joke, a smile, and a conversation. Issa touched the lives of many people with his personality, and maintained his trademark sense of humor all the way to the end.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 11:00 am at Holy Family Parish Kirkland Church in Washington, in celebration of his life as well as to commemorate his 36th wedding anniversary to Suzanne Farraj, his loving wife.
Issa lived an interesting life and even during hard circumstances he saw only the bright side 
of things. In 1948, at a young age, he left Jerusalem with his mother Hana, and sister Nuha and moved to Lebanon. He graduated in 1967 from American University of Beirut, with a degree in Business Administration. He worked in the Reinsurance Department for most of his professional life. In 1973, he spent a year in Switzerland at Swiss Re Insurance which allowed him to travel around in Europe, visiting numerous places including Italy, France, and the Alps.
In 1976, while working for Arabia Insurance, he met a beautiful woman – Suzanne. They married on February 25, 1979 at a small church in Beirut, Lebanon. Between 1981 and 1986 he traveled back and forth between Lebanon and the United States, finally settling near his sister Nuha in Oregon State in 1986. During that time, he also had two wonderful sons, Karim and Nadim. Both sons were born in Portland, Oregon at St. Vincent hospital. Karim was born in 1984, and Nadim was born in 1986. Shortly after Nadim was born, Issa found a job in Seattle and moved his family to Washington State where they settled on the Eastside. Issa continued working in Insurance until he retired in 2005.
Issa was immensely proud of his two sons, who he adored very much. He saw both Karim and Nadim graduate as Electrical Engineers. He was also able to witness the marriage of Nadim to Haydy in July 2014 and Karim to Rukia in February 2015.
Issa had many talents, hobbies and interests. He was an amazingly brilliant artist and painted beautiful works in oils, acrylics, and watercolors. He was also a gifted gardener and transformed his backyard into a beautiful blooming garden with all sorts of flowers, plants, statues, and walkways. He enjoyed a variety of subjects including history, politics and non-fiction. In fact, it was rare to find a subject that he could not tell you something about. He loved crossword puzzles, Opera and Classical music, as well as cooking (usually pasta). He was also a huge Seahawks fan and was always sporting their logo. Above all, Issa was a 
dynamic, fun and incredibly social person. Going with him to the local Costco was like walking around with a celebrity – everyone would stop by to chat and say hello. He made friends easily and he loved to joke around. He was incredibly witty and had a great sense of humor.
Issa is survived by his wife Suzanne Farraj; son Karim Farraj; son Nadim Farraj; and sister Nuha Rice. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Holy Family Parish Kirkland Church, as well as to the numerous friends and neighbors for their support in these times. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Holy Family Parish Kirkland Church in Kirkland, Washington, details below. When donating online, you may add a message indicating in memory of Issa Ibrahim Farraj.
Holy Family Parish Kirkland
7045 120th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 822-0295
Website: http://hfkparish.com/