Stephanie Sarabakhsh

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Stephanie Ann Sarabakhsh, a loving mother, wife, sister, and friend, died Sunday, March 3, 2024 at her home in Fargo, North Dakota. After bravely fighting metastatic breast cancer for over 4 years, Steph passed surrounded by her loving family, her dear friend Peggy Isakson, and her beloved cat, Boots. She was 66 years old.

Stephanie was born in 1957 in Mishawaka, Indiana a city adjacent to South Bend and in the beautiful shadows of the University of Notre Dame, the historic Golden Dome, and the world-famous Grotto where many candles have been lit in her honor. Her beloved parents, Richard (Spike) Heirman, and Juanita (Peggy) Heirman, have their final resting place in Mishawaka’s Fairview Cemetery. She was a Campbell’s soup girl, whereby to her, simple pleasures were the best. Although from humble beginnings, she learned early on how to build solid relationships and that often from small beginnings come great things. Her parents instilled within her a sense of pride, confidence, and belief within and an emphasis on no mountain was high enough in terms of setting her goals. This mentality served her particularly well as she later built a distinguished real estate career during the North Dakota housing boom. Her education started at St Joseph Grade School where she was an honor student, cheerleader and superb athlete. She continued at Mishawaka Marian HS where she developed many lifelong friends. She was a vocal leader and her charismatic smile could light up any room. She epitomized that there were two ways of spreading light, to be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it. She was part of a HS state championship volleyball team that made history by having her older brother’s football team win the state championship on the same day. Her summers were spent doing chores at home, usually until noon, and then off to Rose Park for crafts, games, swimming, and organized projects.

She had to be back home when the streetlights came on. The park was a staple of Mishawaka’s West End, a mixture of Belgium and Italian neighborhoods, that had a church and bar on every corner. The heralded West End Bakery, the Dairy, the hardware store, and the local florist were all right across the street. Home life was very important to her and having seven kids in one family provided both challenges and opportunities. Balloon volleyball in the living room was always a highlight, and the singing of Mariah with her sisters rivaled the harmony of the Sound of Music. She loved each of her brothers and sisters deeply. Her secret to a happy life was finding joy in all she did, and others gravitated to her unique and uplifting personality. She was one of a kind.

On December 25th (Christmas Day), 1984 Stephanie married the love of her life, Mort Sarabakhsh, in San Diego, California. There it was a beautiful Catholic girl marrying a handsome Muslim man in a Lutheran Church. It was just the way they liked it, diverse and unexpected. It was decided that their future family would be raised in the Catholic Church. Inclusion and equality of all people, races and religions was a core foundation for their marriage that lasted over 39 years. They continued with this legacy by welcoming their oldest daughter, Sina Marie, in November of 1989. Stephanie and Sina shared a bond like no other, only one a mother and daughter could have. It is said by all that know them that Sina is Steph’s “mini” (mannerisms, humor, smile, and all). Those two will be interlaced until the end of time. It was a few years later, while living in Krems, Austria that the family welcomed the final piece to complete their family. Their son, Cyrus Alexander, was born in March of 1992. Stephanie and Cy have always had a “one of a kind” mother/son relationship and she loved him immensely. He made her so proud and they enjoyed being goofballs together on the daily. We all know she is forever walking alongside her baby boy and cheering him on in all his current and future successes.

Stephanie worked as a real estate agent for over 24 years in the F-M area and made an everlasting impression. She helped guide and service so many people in purchasing the home of their dreams. It was during her professional career that she developed a close group of realtor friends. “The Girls” loved taking their annual beach trip to St. Maarten’s where so many belly laughs were had, plenty of daiquiris were drank, and Steph’s ultimate favorite, soaking up that Caribbean sun for endless hours.

Stephanie is mourned by her husband, Mort, her 2 beautiful children, Sina (Mike) and Cyrus, along with her siblings, EnRico Heirman (Amy), Knute Heirman, Karen Iannotti (Mike), Rex Heirman, and numerous nieces and nephews. Her oldest sister, Robbye Lou Warner (Tad), passed in 2011 and her younger sister, Chrissy Heirman passed in 2021. The family would like to thank Hospice of the Red River Valley for their unwavering love and care during her final days, Trudy & Duane Wanner, Peggy Isakson, Deb Clark, Pat Karley and Barb Grande for the loyalty and compassion not just in her time of sickness, but for over several decades. Also, the family would like to recognize Stephanie’s youngest sister, Karen Iannotti, for the months she spent away from her home and family in Florida making sure their “Steph” was taken care of and treated like a queen as she declined. Stephanie’s “million-dollar smile” and contagious laugh is etched in the hearts of those left mourning.

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