Latham/Fort Lauderdale - Maliheh Khaksarian Shanahan, 95, entered Eternal Life July 1, 2025 at the Catholic Hospice of Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1930, she emigrated to the United States in the early 1960s after studying in England and living briefly in Canada.

Maliheh grew up in a poor but loving family outside of Tehran. The family had no electricity, running water and other comforts that are common today. Maliheh overcame the odds and became a school teacher and given her intelligence, received a scholarship for the "East/West Nursing Program" and traveled to study in England, when she was 28 years old. She studied at the King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor. While in Windsor, she was invited with other Program scholars to have tea with Queen Elizabeth. Also, while in Windsor/London, she worked as a midwife, riding her bike from home-to-home to deliver babies. She then traveled to Canada and took a nursing job at an Ottawa Hospital. While in Ottawa, she accepted a nursing job on a fishing boat based in Vancouver, Canada. She decided to travel through the United States to the west coast as she made her way to her new job. She began her journey in New York City and immediately fell in love with the Big Apple (She never made it to Vancouver). Through a friend, she found a job at Roosevelt Hospital near Columbus Circle and became a lifelong New Yorker. While ballroom dancing at Roseland, she met the love of her life who would become her husband, the late Thomas John Shanahan. They were married at Saint Paul the Apostle Church on June 20, 1964.

Their daughter Shereen was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Shortly after this they settled permanently on Staten Island. Not long after moving to Staten Island, she gave birth to her son Tommy. She worked as a registered nurse at Richmond Memorial, Saint Vincents and Staten Island University Hospital. She was very active with the YMCA, girl scouts, PTA and other activities in which her children were involved. After retiring from nursing, she relocated to Latham, New York, where she played a large role in her grandchildren's lives. She was the beloved mother of Shereen and Tommy Shanahan; and cherished grandmother of Stephanie, Matthew, Benjamin Tate and Jude Canton. She is survived by her children Shereen Shanahan Tate and her husband Christopher Tate of Niskayuna, her son Tommy Shanahan who resides in Fort Lauderdale and Manhattan, her special friend Judith Tate, her son-in-laws David Tate and Jimmy Canton, her nieces Lida Kompanion (Saiad), Gilda DiBadin (Saiad), and Gita Khaksarian, whom she helped to immigrate to the United States from Iran in the 1970s. She is also survived by her nephews Joseph (Sue), Billy (Denise), Kevin (Janel) and Michael Shanahan, and her niece Kathleen Shanahan, her neice Liz Shanahan (Ken) and their many children. She was predeceased by her husband Thomas John Shanahan, nephew Thomas Shanahan (survived by his wife Andrea) and beloved nephew Nicholas Nikazmerad, whom she helped to raise, and, whom she considered a son.

Mali dearly loved her family, staying active, swimming, zumba, yoga, and seeing the world. She was the life of the party in any room she entered as she loved to celebrate, laugh, dance, and make memories. Her infectious joy filled the room - whether it be at family gatherings, Zumba classes, or concerts. Mali was a fitness buff who participated in silver sneakers fitness classes and went swimming in her pool almost daily, up to the day prior to entering the hospital on June 23, 2025. Above all, Mali was a lover of life, her family and the beauty of nature.

The family wishes to thank her caregivers Emoke Katalin Nuyuli and Anne DiCembre, the residents of Coral Ridge Towers Original, Beach Community Center, ABC Fitness in Albany, Vent Fitness Latham, and the staff of Holy Cross Hospital and Catholic Hospice in Fort Lauderdale.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Mali's family on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 from 8:00 to 9:00 AM at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, 2216 Rosa Rd., Schenectady. Funeral Mass will immediately follow the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to remember Mali in a special way may send a contribution to the Sober Active NYC foundation by clicking this link: https://www.soberactivenyc.org/support-us.

Arrangements have been entrusted by the family to the care of The Dufresne & Cavanaugh Funeral Home, Latham. For further information or to express a message of condolence, please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com.