Hanna Sarah

Hanna Sarah, known to many as John, was born in Maten Al Sahel, Syria, on September 13, 1944. He lived a young life enveloped by the land and sea, engaging in agriculture and fishing from a young age. He attended the Lebanese University in Beirut, Lebanon, obtaining a bachelor’s in business administration before returning to Syria to serve in the Syrian Army, specializing in anti-aircraft defense. While stationed in Latakia, Syria, he met his loving wife of 51 years, Wadiah. The two were married in 1973 and emigrated to the United States in 1974 with their infant daughter, Angelina, settling in Tucson, Arizona. Their son, Gabriel, followed in 1979.

Hanna loved the Southwest and its proximity to his first love, the ocean. He traveled regularly to Mexico to engage in his favorite hobby of fishing, while exploring all parts of Arizona to enjoy his passion for hunting. He loved the outdoors and felt most at home surrounded by nature and his friends and family.

Hanna and Wadiah built a thriving business, focused on landscaping and nurseries – of which they owned two in the Tucson area. He served the Tucson community with his expertise and skills on all things related to the land for over 40 years. His talent has beautified countless homes and businesses throughout Southern Arizona – the pinnacle of his career being his work with landscaping the entire Biosphere 2 project in Oracle, Arizona. Our father used to always say “there is no shame in hard work,” and he lived this by example every day as he labored and toiled to provide for his family. Hanna contributed greatly to the Tucson community, supporting multiple charitable organizations during his life. He was known to all in his community as a beloved, respected man who cared deeply for his entire family, including his four grandchildren and great grandson.

He is greatly missed but we find comfort and solace in knowing we had two and a half years to celebrate life with him after his diagnosis. We are honored to have been able to witness his strength and resilience. Our family would like to thank Dr. Alif Sarah, Dr. Carlos Corvera, and Dr. Rachna Shroff for their impeccable care of our father and dedication to his health, along with the teams at UCSF Medical Center and The University of Arizona Cancer Center.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Hanna’s memory to one of the following:

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church Building Fund

https://www.holyresurrectiontucson.org/contribute

Tu Nidito Children and Family Services

https://tunidito.org/donate/