Nada (Neda) Matta Sauma, age 95 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, died peacefully at home on Sunday, March 7, 2021, surrounded by her loving family and under the caring watch of Hunterdon Hospice.

Born in Turkey on July 21, 1925, Nada was the youngest of a family of five. Her three brothers, George, Antoine and Joseph, and their Mom Natalia, immigrated from Syria where they grew up and raised their families in Brazil where they lived for the rest of their lives. Her sister Katbeh raised her family in Aleppo, Syria where she lived until her passing.

Nada met, fell in love, and married Youssef (Joe) Abdo Sauma, a food trader from Hammana, Lebanon. The couple would be blessed with six sons who they raised in Beirut. Coming from modest agricultural background with limited means, Youssef and Nada provided for their family, gave them the best education and surrounded them with what they felt was key ingredient to life: love.

Truly a partnership, the couple was a shining example for anyone they met on what a good marriage looks like. Nada was truly a partner to her beloved Youssef, caring for him while being a wonderful mother to her children. With her love being limitless, she extended her caring heart and actions to her aging in-laws, Abdo and Adele, who lived very close, and often with her family, until their passing at an advanced age.

Nada could not be defined by one quality; she was more than her roles as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She took each role to heart, and was a model that many tried to follow but could never duplicate. Nada never wanted that anyway, as she simply wanted each of her family to be the best version of themselves possible.

Family was everything to Nada, and harmony in a family is what she spread and taught her children to follow by example. All her life, love emanated from her actions and words for young and old; and everybody who knew her cherished her attention and love and sought more of it. She had enough love beyond the abundance that she reserved for her family to give to so many which she freely did at all times.

When it came to extending help to others, Nada started with herself and taught her children by example. She believed in the responsibility that the “haves” had towards the “havenots”. The responsibility of the older child towards their younger siblings. She was a living example of the respect that we owe our elderly and often kissed her father-in-law’s hand as a sign of love, respect and recognition, not as a sign of superiority.

Her children were raised following her high standards and the standards of her beloved “Joe”. She had an immense level of admiration for her husband, and regularly used his difficult but glorious life legacy to teach her children the right way. She never had to look far to illustrate love, dedication, determination and putting others first. She was herself first inspired by her own mother, Natalia, who in spite of her large family of six, was of crucial assistance to her husband Fadel. She then had the example of her father-in-law, Abdo, who managed with Adele to raise a large family of eight. And then there was her beloved Joe, who with hardly any schooling managed to rise through the ranks to become one of the most successful grain traders in the entire Middle-East.  The example of these men and woman in Nada’s life inspired her and solidified her belief that we all have a true role to play in life; and to identify that role, we don’t have to look too far. That is how she raised her sons, and that’s the message she spread among her grandchildren.

Her grandchildren meant the world to Nada. She saw in them the work in progress that she started with their fathers. She stressed and celebrated good education and behavior. She even dedicated a “wall of honor” next to the living room, where all grandchildren contributed their graduation photos. This wall was the last thing she set her sight on before she passed as it was right in front of her hospital bed at home. She often talked to her grandchildren about their future, their marriage, and their own children. She had confidence that what was started by her and her dear Joe, would continue through the generations.

Nada and Joe relocated to the United States after their sons joined together to open a family business in the States. This allowed her to continue spreading her wings over the growing family to protect it and keep it together.

With many talents, one of the things Nada will be remembered for is her work as a painter. She learned to use the brush, the same way she learned to use a whisk in the kitchen, by long hours of practice. On her 95th birthday, a drone flyover was organized in her backyard, flying overhead while she was surrounded by over 300 of her paintings. She said that day, that she had already gifted over a hundred paintings and these were the remaining ones that she kept adding to till the end. Again, she was being very modest. It is estimated that she gifted hundreds more before to family and friends to help brighten their days!

In addition to her parents and many members of her family, Nada was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joe, in 2012.

Surviving are her sons, their spouses, her grandchildren, and a great grandson: her son Suhayl, his daughter Lauren and husband James, and great grandson Julian as well as granddaughter Morgan; her son Bassam and wife Bonnie, and children Ryan, Kathryn and Kevin; her son Sami and wife Lale, and children Sami Jr, Hadi, Christina and Stephanie; her son Abdo and wife Gladys, and children Nichole and husband Mike, as well as Alex and Sophia; her son Samir and wife Michele, and children Chloe and Skyler; her son Joe and wife Barbara, and children Oliver, Bella and Tiara; several extended family members; and many dear friends around the world who will forever remember Nada’s loving persona as her spirit helps to light their life path.

Given the current state of the world, and respecting Nada’s persona of always protecting others, all services will be limited to only immediate family in attendance. Please, out of respect, do not go to the funeral home, church or the cemetery.

In an effort to ensure that so many family and friends who Nada loved dearly have the opportunity to grieve and pray for her, services will be live-streamed according to the following schedule:

-Thursday, March 11, 2021 from 10:30-11:15 a.m.- there will be a Funeral Liturgy officiated by Fr. Anastasios Kousoulas at St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, Flemington, NJ

Please click HERE to be taken to the live-stream. Kindly ensure that you do not have a pop-up blocker installed. Note: the streaming will begin approximately five minutes prior to scheduled start time.

Entombment with her beloved husband will take place at St. Magdalen Mausoleum, North main Street, Flemington, NJ.

You are encouraged to visit Nada’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

Memorial contributions in her name may be made to Hunterdon Hospice, via mail to 215 NJ-31, Flemington, NJ 08822, or online by clicking HERE (please select Hunterdon Hospice) or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, via mail to 262 Danny Thomas PlaceMemphis, TN 38105, or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”