Houston: With loving memories, Mariam Issa, a Houstonian for more than four decades, passed away on January 3, 2021.
“When you give to others, it is important to give more than what is expected.” These are words that Mariam repeatedly conveyed to her children and grandchildren – words that she learned from her father and passed down as a reflection of her own actions of compassion and generosity.
Mariam was born in Bombay, India in 1940 and migrated to Karachi, Pakistan in 1947. Her passion for humanitarian efforts began in Pakistan. At a young age, she learned braille so that she could tutor two blind students, who later earned degrees in English. Mariam’s desire to serve the less fortunate moved with her when she immigrated to the United States. Taking root in the Houston community, Mariam founded many non-profit organizations and served on numerous non-profit boards – all of which allowed her to continue her unrelenting and unlimited passion for helping thos