The Public School System\u2019s longest-serving special education staff passed away at the age of 62, after 31 years of serving the CNMI\u2019s special needs students. <\/p>\n
Suzanne W. Lizama, who fought a long battle with cancer, died last Sunday evening after her liver gave out from the amount of medication she was taking. <\/p>\n
According to Robin Palacios, Lizama\u2019s daughter and PSS Early Intervention Program director, her mother was a \u201cwarrior who fought hard for her staff and students.\u201d <\/p>\n
Lizama was an advocate for teacher aides to be included in the federally funded retention incentive program for educators. <\/p>\n
Palacios said that PSS lost a great, kind-hearted person who had a strong passion to serve the community. Palacios credits her mother for her interest in getting a degree in education. <\/p>\n
Lizama joined PSS in 1989 as a special education or SPED teacher. In the 1990s, she became director of special education, a position she held until she passed away.<\/p>\n
Lizama is survived by her husband, Vicente, and two children, Palacios and Katherine Eusebio.<\/p>\n
Lizama migrated to Saipan in 1959 when she was only a year old because her father worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, which maintained a field training station on the island until 1961.<\/p>\n
Lizama attended Mount Carmel School and received her associate degree from Northern Marianas College. She obtained her bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of Guam.<\/p>\n
Lizama\u2019s funeral service will be held on Saturday at San Antonio Church.<\/p>\n
The service will serve as a rosary, a public viewing, and a Mass. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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