Sousan Bahavar

Sousan Bahavar, age 76, a resident of Rogers Park in Chicago, Illinois, died on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. She was born on December 11, 1948, in Tehran, Iran, to Khalil and Hajieh Bahavar.

Sousan immigrated to the United States in 1973, coming first to Chicago, a city which she fell in love with immediately, and she never left. She attended Roosevelt University where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree, followed by a Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University. She worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services from 1985 until her retirement in 2012. During her 27 years of service as a social worker, she was a fierce advocate for the safety and security of children across the state of Illinois. After her retirement, she worked part-time as a retail associate at various department stores in Chicago, enjoying the socialization and ability to shop daily. She also frequently traveled and visited her children and grandchildren. Sousan retired from retail work in 2024.

Sousan was diagnosed with the bulbar form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in May 2024. She fought the disease with bravery and a strong spirit every step of the way. She was grateful for all the amazing care received by the multidisciplinary ALS clinics at The University of Chicago and The University of California, Davis. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family, while on home hospice in Sacramento, California.

She is survived by her daughter Marjan Siadat and son-in-law Ken Kelley of Sacramento, California; daughter Banafsheh Siadat and son-in-law Virag Shah of Sacramento, California; daughter Rana Higgins and son-in-law Logan Schaefer of Brookfield, Wisconsin; grandchildren Zahra Kelley, Griffin Schaefer, and Hudson Schaefer; sisters Nahid Bahavar and Jaleh Bahavar; brother Ali Bahavar and sister-in-law Mojdeh Bahavar; brother Manouchehr Bahavar and sister-in-law Afra Bahavar; and ex-husband and friend Mohammad Vali Siadat.

She was preceded in death by her father Khalil Bahavar and mother Hajieh Bahavar, and her ex-husband and friend, Douglas Higgins.

A private celebration of life will be held with close family and friends at Sousan’s home in Chicago on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Memorial gifts may be directed to The Gleason Foundation to support those living with ALS at https://teamgleason.org/.