In Memoriam – Fall 2021

Antoine Zahlan, PhD (BA ’51, MA ’52). A brilliant scientist, scholar, mentor, and AUB professor (1956–1976), who also served as chairman of the Physics Department, Zahlan passed away on August 31, 2020, at the age of 92. In 1948, he and his family left Haifa for Lebanon, where he earned his AUB degrees before moving to the US for a doctorate from Syracuse University. Making his home in England and Lebanon, Zahlan made groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of practical science and future studies. A man ahead of his time, his 1975 study The Arab World: Year 2000 examined the options and challenges facing Arabs as a result of the massive technological changes taking place in the world around them. Among his many transformative accomplishments were his roles in identifying and fighting the Arab brain drain, establishing Jordan’s Royal Scientific Society, and creating Arab Projects and Development (APD) in Beirut, the first nonprofit Arab research and consulting firm in the service of capacity building in developing countries. Zahlan wrote or contributed to over 150 publications on science, technology, and education in Arabic and English. Over a lifetime, publishing his last book at the age of 84, Zahlan worked tirelessly with an unfailing belief in the power of knowledge and the vast potential of the Arab world. The historian Rosemarie Said Zahlan, his wife of many years, predeceased him. He is survived by a daughter named to reflect his hope for the future, Leila Amal Lahbabi; by his first wife, Anne Ricketson Zahlan (BA ’59); and two granddaughters.

Alexandre Ziadeh (BS ’51). Born on May 29, 1927, Ziadeh passed away on January 2, 2020. With his degree in civil engineering, Ziadeh specialized in hydraulics. He trained and worked in Denver, Colorado, before returning to Lebanon as a general director, alternating between the Litani Project and the Beirut Waters Department. He is survived by his two daughters, Fabienne and Nanette (BA ’85).

Huda Jabbur Baird (student, 1952–54). Born in 1931 in Nebek, Syria, Jabbur Baird passed away on August 24, 2020. After a brief career as a medical lab technician in Beirut and Albany, New York, she joined her husband in world travels and job assignments in Vietnam and Algeria, among other locations, before settling in Rockville, MD, in 1969. Known for her generosity and gracious hospitality, Jabbur Baird was predeceased by her beloved husband, James T. Baird Jr., and her brothers Munir and Samir. She is survived by her brother Munther, her sister Munira, and several nieces and nephews.

Issam A. Minkarah (BEN ’53) passed away at the age of 90. He earned an MS and a PhD in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he taught and designed bridges for the State of New York before returning to the Middle East. At the Contracting and Trading (CAT) Company, he built the first highway in the United Arab Emirates and led construction projects in Sudan, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Minkarah returned to the US to join the faculty of the University of Cincinnati as a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. There, he taught and directed research projects for 29 years and proudly became an American citizen. Minkarah spent a year as an adjunct professor at the University of Khartoum and a year at Purdue’s College of Engineering. He loved mentoring his students and contemplating the future of construction management. He and his wife traveled extensively throughout Europe, South America, Russia, China, and, of course, the Middle East. His other passions included music and opera, spending time with his family, and living in Cincinnati—which he described as a city of good food and good arts. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Eleanor (née Comeau); his sisters, Amal Murad and Maha Salaymeh; his children, Randa and Abdallah J. (Jay); three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Suad Jabbour (BA ’56) passed away on February 6. After high school, she enrolled in Beirut University College before moving to AUB, where she earned a degree in public administration with a minor in art. Jabbour was a talented painter, sculptor, and poet. While still a student at AUB, she began selling her paintings. Upon graduation, she started work at the PSPA Department. Soon after, Jabbour worked as a journalist at Al Hasnaa magazine along with Sonia Beirouti. She married and moved to Iraq where she worked as an English teacher at a teacher training college before returning to Lebanon to continue the careers she had started earlier. Finally, in recent years, she translated books for several publishing houses. Jabbour is predeceased by her husband, engineer Moussa Bechara, and her son, Rabih, a civil engineer. She is survived by her daughter Sawsan (BBA ’92).

Lydia Toufic Beshara Tannous (BA ’56, MA ’64) Lydia Toufic Beshara Tannous (BA ‘56, MA ‘64) passed away on November 17, 2020. After high school, she enrolled in Beirut University college before moving to AUB, where she earned a degree in political science with a minor in public administration. Mrs. Tannous is the wife of the late Dr. Raja Tannous (BA ‘56) who was an AUB Alumnus, Professor, and acting Dean of AUB’s Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences (FAFS). She taught Arabic at both Harvard and Princeton prior to having her family. Lydia raised two children, four grandchildren and made many lifelong friends who remain devoted to her. Lydia had a kind and generous heart, and always welcomed everyone into her home. All remember these occasions for their love, laughter, food and wonderful conversations. Lydia is survived by her children: Lamya (Fadlo), Izzat (Suha); and by four grandchildren (Layla, Raja, Rayya and Baz). She will be mourned by all who knew and loved her. The Lydia Haddad Tannous Scholarship in Political Sciences and Public Administration at AUB, was established in Lydia’s memory by her loving family.

Nafhat Nassim Nasr, PhD (BA ’57, MA ’60) passed away on June 8 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Born in 1935, Nasr was raised in the bucolic Lebanese village of Qelhat. A scholar, teacher, and self-described internationalist, Nasr was truly a global citizen who modeled fundamental humanitarian and civic values. After brief stints at Southern Illinois University and the American University in Cairo, Nasr returned to AUB, where he taught for nearly 20 years before immigrating to the United States in the 1980s. He then taught at DePauw University from 1987 until he retired as professor emeritus in 2006, the year he was awarded DePauw’s Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Tucker Jr. Distinguished Career Award. He loved teaching and his students more than anything else he did professionally. In the second half of his career, he developed an interest in conflict resolution studies, which he introduced at DePauw, eventually establishing it as a program in its own right. Nasr is survived by his brother, Waddah; his beloved wife, Nadia (Sweis) (BA ’60); his daughters, Lena (Snethen) (BA ’84) and Iva; his son Ghassan; and a grandson.

Aram Sarkis Hanissian (BS ’54, MD ’58). Born in Armenia, Hanissian passed away on February 10, in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 91. At the age of 10, his family was displaced to Lebanon, where he helped build a village in the ruins of Anjar. After further studies at Oxford University, Hanissian completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Chicago, moving to Memphis for fellowships in allergy/immunology and rheumatology. He then joined the University of Tennessee faculty, where he helped educate medical students and residents. He published extensively and wrote the textbook of pediatric rheumatology that predated the textbook of the subspecialty board by more than a decade. As part of the initial Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Club in the 1960s, he established the first CF center in the 1970s, serving as its medical director. He retired in 2013. A kind and loving father, Hanissian’s physician children remember his wise words and careful guidance in their careers. He was preceded in death by his wife Alice Terzian (BA ’56) and survived by his children Talynn, Gregory, and Ara, several grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Vahé Ohannes Kilejian (BS ’58, MD ’64). Born in Aleppo, Syria, in 1936, Kilejian passed away peacefully on January 23, 2020, in Wyckoff, New Jersey. He completed surgical training at Case Western Reserve in Ohio and urology training at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. During his residency he married his wife, Mary Ann Kilejian, and moved to Fresno, California, where he initially worked at the Veterans Hospital before establishing a private urology practice in Fresno for 10 years. He then studied laser surgery for resection of prostate cancer at Stanford University. He introduced and performed the innovative procedure during his 14 years in private practice in Medford, Oregon. He also patented a circumcision device. Kilejian loved jazz music, dance, playing the piano, and being happily engaged in creative hobbies. His classmates from 1958 still remember his Gene Kelly imitations. In semi-retirement in Melbourne, Florida, Kilejian worked as an assistant professor in urology at the University of Gainesville. He retired in St. Augustine, Florida, where he enjoyed vintage boat building and silver/glass fusion art. He is survived by his sisters Araxie Kilejian and Salpy Donelian, his daughter Dr. Lisa Kilejian, and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Ann, and his oldest sister, Shake Tchaglassian.

George Boutros Ghattas (BS ’63) was born in Jaffa, Palestine, in 1938, and passed away last February, a month before his 83rd birthday, in West Sussex, England. Ghattas began his working life as a teacher of mathematics at the Al Ahfad School in Sudan. In 1964, he returned to Beirut to teach at the Manor School and at the American Community School, where he was regularly voted teacher of the year by his students. After moving to England, Ghattas became a geophysicist, engaging in seismic data processing and the teaching of industry-related software for companies including Digicon, CogniSeis, and Western Geophysical. An avid gardener in his retirement, Ghattas also loved cooking and rustling up kibbeh or trays of ma’moul to be shared with a wide circle of family and friends. In addition to his many siblings—Mina, Nicola, Elias, and Alex, who are also AUB alumni, and his sister Fifi—Ghattas is survived by his beloved wife, Madeleine; their two children, Henrietta and Haitham; and two grandsons.

Helen Bikhazi (BA ’66) passed away on January 31 at the age of 77. She began her professional career at AUB as an assistant cataloger at Jafet Library. She then pursued an MLS degree from Aberystwyth University in Wales and returned to AUB as an acquisition librarian, a position she held for over 10 years. Bikhazi then assumed leadership of the AUB University Libraries, serving as university librarian from 1987 to 2009. During her tenure, she spearheaded the reconstruction of Jafet Library following the devastating 1991 College Hall explosion and led the University Libraries through a complex automation process from 1993–97. She implemented numerous innovations, technologies, and transformative projects that laid the groundwork for the future of the University Libraries. Bikhazi’s passion for library sciences and for AUB led to unprecedented financial support and offerings for the university’s libraries. We are grateful.

Hagop Akiskal (BS ’65, MD ’69) passed away on January 20. An internationally recognized pioneer in the mental health fields of mood disorders and temperament, his research on cyclothymia and dysthymia led to greater understanding of the bipolar spectrum and provided hope to millions of sufferers of chronic depression. Akiskal served as the distinguished professor of psychiatry and director of the International Mood Center at the University of California, San Diego; a senior science advisor at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and at the World Health Organization (WHO) Division of Mental Health; a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology and research director of the Sleep Laboratory at the University of Tennessee-Memphis; and as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Affective Disorders. Listed in Thomson’s top 10 most-cited researchers in psychiatry-psychology and ranked first in Biomed Experts in temperament research, Akiskal’s long list of prestigious international awards includes Lebanon’s Medal of National Health Merit (first degree) and the US Congress’ Ellis Island Medal of Honor for “exceptional national humanitarian service.” With his wife, Kareen Akiskal, he researched the creativity of blues musicians and Parisian artists. Their TEMPS-A instrument has led to the identification of genes for distinct temperamental pathways to mania.

Faysal Yusuf Sharif (BS ’71), MBA, was born in 1945 to a Yemeni family living in Nairobi, Kenya. He passed away in early January 2020 prior to the pandemic. Sharif worked for several years as the managing director of Middle East Airlines in Sana’a, Yemen, before earning his MBA degree from George Washington University in the United States in 1977. He had a long and successful career as an independent international business consultant contracted by international corporations, the World Bank, USAID, as well as multiple embassies and businesses, focusing on economic development in the Middle East. He is dearly missed by all those whose lives were touched by him. A devoted husband and father, Sharif is survived by his wife, Marilyn Kay Lewis-Sharif (BA ’70, MA ’73), whom he met at AUB; their four children, Ramsey, Karim, Nabeel, and Leila and their spouses; and ten grandchildren.

Panicos Theocharides (BBA ’74) passed away on November 15, 2019, at the age of 85. Born and raised in Limassol, Cyprus, his family lacked the financial means to send him to college. As an exceptional high school student, Theocharides was able to pass the Cyprus government examinations and begin what would be a long career in the Cyprus Inland Revenue Department. At the age of 32, he earned a scholarship to study taxation in London, England. Shortly after returning to Cyprus, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study business administration at AUB. While there, he studied remotely for the UK Professional Qualification of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). In 1974, he was successfully awarded both an AUB BBA and the ACCA Professional Qualification. Returning to the Cyprus Inland Revenue Department once again, Theocharides served in different managerial positions before reaching the top management post, from which he retired as a highly regarded expert in taxation. Until the end of his life he was passionate about self-improvement, spending time with his family, and the education of his children and grandchildren. He was also an engaged citizen and an outstanding Rotarian. He is remembered as a loving spouse, caring father, and warm, generous, and compassionate person. He is survived by his wife, Despina; his son, Michael (a medical doctor); his daughter, Chrysanthi Theocharides Peglitsi (BBA ’82); and four grandchildren.

Majid F. Fakhry, PhD. Born in Lebanon in 1923, Fakhry passed away on March 4, at the age of 98 in Arlington, Virginia. After earning his PhD in philosophy from Edinburgh University in 1949, he taught at several prestigious institutions. These include the London School of Oriental Studies; AUB, where he is an emeritus professor of philosophy and previously served as chairman of the Department of Philosophy until his retirement; Georgetown University; UCLA; and Princeton University, among others. He was an associate professor of philosophy at Georgetown University (1965–67) and later taught at Georgetown’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, where he was senior fellow, and at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. A world-class outstanding scholar who was at the forefront of research in his field, Fakhry was a prolific author of many books, articles, and manuscripts, including the definitive A History of Islamic Philosophy (Columbia University Press, 2014), which has been translated into eight languages. Also notable are his more recent translation of the Qur’an from his native Arabic into modern English and a manuscript entitled Historical Encounter of Civilizations: Islam, Christianity and the West, to be republished posthumously. Fakhry is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Alice (née Shiber); his children, Samir, Bassem, and Rima; and three grandchildren. His wife, Alice, and his daughter, Rima, were by his side during his long period of illness. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the many students he enjoyed teaching for so many years.

AUB mourns the death of its International Advisory Council member and honorary degree recipient Vartan Gregorian who passed away unexpectedly in New York City on April 17 at the age of 87. Born in Tabriz, Iran, Gregorian came to Beirut at the age of 15 with little more than his bus fare and the allegorical fables instilled in him by his cherished grandmother. He attended the Collège Arménien and received a scholarship to Stanford, where he majored in history and humanities and earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees. A brilliant historian, educator, and administrator, known for his great charm and ferocious drive to advance humanitarian causes, Gregorian’s notable achievements included rescuing the New York Public Library system in the 1980s, more than doubling endowment and scholarship funds during his time of presidency of Brown University in the 1990s, and his subsequent leadership of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In 2004, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor. Gregorian is predeceased by his wife, Clare, an survived by three sons, Dareh, Vahé, and Raffi.

Carol Patlan Minarick passed away on February 11, 2020 at the age of 77 in Easton, Maryland. Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Minarick graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in political science in 1964. During her junior year abroad at AUB, she studied under Charles Malik and developed a passion for a good argument and questioning the status quo. A prolific painter and artist, Minarick studied at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC, where she became fascinated with the painting discipline known as “sumi-e” (black ink painting). She had over 20 solo exhibitions, including gallery shows at Muse (Philadelphia, PA), Guilford College (Greensboro, NC), Bertha Urdang Gallery (New York, NY), and, most recently, the Academy Art Museum (Easton, Maryland). Throughout her career, she collaborated with other like-minded artists, exhibiting works in numerous group installations, including at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Knoxville Museum of Art, Artists for Syrian Relief (Easton, Maryland), and the Adkin’s Arboretum (Ridgley, Maryland). Minarick was named a Virginia Center for Creative Arts Life Fellow. She is survived by her husband, Joseph; their son, Joe; and two grandchildren.

Dr. Stephen Fischer’s support for AUB honors his grandfather, Dr. John Louis Fischer (1923–2017), dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences from 1978 to 1980. “Of all the places where he worked,” remembers Stephen, “AUB meant the most to my grandfather.” Stephen also supports AUB as a tribute to the “many descendants of Lebanon and particularly people related to AUB who have given so much to enrich my life.” He points to the undergraduate course he took at Columbia University with AUB alumnus George Saliba and an elective rotation in dermatology at the AUB Medical Center with Professor Abdul-Ghani Kibbi as just two examples. “I am just one of so many people whose lives have been enriched by AUB. I think it is important to support this university―especially during this critical time in its history,” he says.