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Fall 2007 Vol. VI, No. 1
In Memoriam
Dr. Levon Melikian,
former dean of students at AUB, died in Toronto, Canada on August 7 at
the age of 90. Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, on May 17, 1917, Melikian
attended St. George’s British Missionary School in Jerusalem. Upon
receiving his PhD in clinical psychology from Columbia University in 1955
he returned to AUB to serve as the dean of students. In 1957, Melikian
married Alice Baz Haddad. They remained in Lebanon until the start of
the Lebanese Civil War when he accepted a position as a professor of psychology
at the University of Qatar. When he retired in 1985, he and his wife moved
to Toronto, Canada.
Professor Elias Awad,
former professor of chemistry (1962-89) died on June 12 in New York City.
After completing his education at the German School in Jerusalem, Awad
attended Mauldin College, Cambridge University where he earned his BS
and MS degrees. He pursued his PhD at Washington University. Awad is survived
by his wife, Salwa Najib Khuri, and his two sons, Suhayl and Sary. Expressions
of condolence can be sent to: awad@lynxim.com
or selwak30@hotmail.com.
Professor Farid S. Hanania
former professor of international law and dean of the Faculty of Arts
and Sciences (1953-65), died in Cahors, France at the age of 98. Hanania
was born in Jerusalem on December 25, 1908, attended Saint George School
in Jerusalem, and in 1931 enrolled at Cambridge University where he studied
law. He is survived by his wife Pru, his son Tony, and his daughter Caroline.
Nadim Makdisi, renowned journalist and cofounder of the Anis Makdisi Program
at AUB, died in his home in Washington DC on September 1 at the age of
86. Born in 1921 in New York, Makdisi was the son of late AUB Professor
Anis Makdisi and Selma Khoury. He studied at Columbia University and American
University, where he earned a PhD in mass communications. In 1996, Makdisi
started the Pauline Nadim Makdisi Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at
AUB in memory of his wife who died of cancer in 1990. He is survived by
his sons, Anis, Richard, and Nadim; grand children, Michael, James, Lina,
Miles, Fadi, and Pauline, and great-grandson, Maxwell.
Fred N. White,
AUB professor of biology (1959–61) passed away on October 11, 2006
at the age of 79. White received a PhD in physiology from the University
of Illinois in 1953. He was a professor of physiology at UCLA, director
of the Physiology Research Laboratory at Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
and a fellow at the San Diego Zoological Society. He is survived by his
wife Rosanne, former wife Maxine E. White, and his only child Effie Frances
White.
Dr. Bahij S. Salibi
(BA ’41, MA ’44), passed away on June 25 at the age of 85 in
Marshfield, Wisconsin. Salibi, who was born on May 16, 1922, in Omdurman,
Sudan, received his MD at Harvard University. He established the Neurological
and Neurosurgical Departments at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfied WI.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Beverley; children Lillian Duerst,
Charles Salibi, and Ernest Salibi; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren;
two brothers, and one sister.
Fuad S. Kawar
(BA ’41) passed away on May 8. After graduating from AUB, he studied
at the School of Law in Jerusalem and practiced law in Haifa until 1948
when he evacuated to Lebanon. He assumed a leading position with ARAMCO
Overseas and joined the Lebanese Bar Association in 1963. Kawar, an active
alumnus, was general secretary of the Alumni Association 1957-67. He was
also chairman and responsible director of the publication committee for
al Kuliyah and Middle East Forum. He is survived by his wife of 49 years,
Hilda Meo, his son Dorian, and daughter Rhona.
Muhsin Sayyid Mahdi
(BBA ’47) , Islamic philosophy scholar, died on July 9 in Brookline,
Massachusetts. Mahdi was born on June 21, 1926 in Karbala, Iraq. He earned
a PhD in philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1954. From 1969
until he retired in 1996, he was
director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and chair
of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard
University. Mahdi is survived by his wife, Sarah Roche-Mahdi; two daughters,
Fatima and Nadia; and from a marriage to Cynthia Risner, two stepdaughters,
Rachel and Rebekah Gerstein. He is also survived by his first wife, Louise
Carus Mahdi.
Ramiz Kamil Eid
(BA ’50, BSCE ’51) passed away on June 6 at the age of 80. Born
in Jerusalem in 1927, Eid was educated in Palestine at St. George’s
and Bishop Gobat. Eid worked for various engineering firms in Lebanon
and the Gulf until 1986 when he moved with his family to the United States.
He is survived by his wife Nuhad Katibah Eid (BA ’59), his sons Samer
and Nadim, and daughter Marguerite.
Vera Wahbé Hudson
(BS ’58) died of pancreatic cancer on June 20 at her home in Chevy
Chase, Maryland. At the time of her death she was a biologist in the Specialized
Information Services of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in Bethesda,
where she had worked since 1983. From 1975 to 1983 she worked as a biologist
for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in Rockville.
At NLM she managed many information activities, including the development
and maintenance of the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). In recent
years she contributed substantially to the development of new internet-based
products such as Haz-Map and the Household Products Database. She is survived
by her husband of 44 years, Michael C. Hudson; daughters Leila Olga Hudson
and Aida Joan Hudson; sister Tatiana Wahbé Butter; and four grandchildren.
“We met on the day I entered AUB as a freshman. It was registration
day and a long line of anxious incoming freshmen stood silently except
for one section where there was laughter and intermingling. At the heart
of all the merriment was a vivacious girl, Vera Wahbe, who seemed to know
everyone. She was admired by everyone, and with good reason. We elected
her to represent our freshman class in the Women’s Student Organization,
and the next year she was elected president. She excelled in sports, winning
at least six gold medals in a variety of track and field events. She also
managed to make the highest grades while maintaining a very active social
life.”
Dr. Faysal B. Najjar
(BS ’60, MD ’64), died on June 6 in Saudi Arabia at the age
of 67. After completing his MD and residency at AUB, he did a clinical
fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital. He was clinical instructor
in surgery (1970-76), clinical assistant professor of surgery (1976-86),
clinical associate professor of surgery (1986–2005), deputy chief
of staff (1988-94), and director of AUBMC (1990-94). Najjar is survived
by his wife, Hala, and three children: Samer, Mazen, and Diala.
John Watson
(BA ’64) died September 1, 2006. After retiring from NYNEX in
New York City, John worked at Keewaydin Camp in Salisbury, Vermont, feeding
and caring for the homeless, and advocating for peace and justice. He
will be missed by all who knew his generous spirit. He is survived by
his wife Hanan, son Nessim, daughter-in-law Peach, granddaughter Maya,
sister Allyan, and nephew Plinio. His wife, Hanan Sa’id Watson (BA
’64, MA ’66) may be contacted athswatson@nyc.rr.com.
Nadine Khayyat
Safieddine (BA ’91, MA ’94) passed away September 2 after suffering
from a brain tumor. Her former professor wrote: “During thirty seven
years of teaching at AUB, I have not met a more dignified, genuine, intelligent,
and modest person than Nadine Khayyat Safieddine. Nadine was a person
one finds only in fairy tales… she was too good to be true. Her attachment
to the memory of her late father and her devotion to her mother, sister
and late brother was remarkable. A few years back she donated funds to
equip a modern seminar room at AUB in memory of her late father. She also
funded a state-of-the-art lab in the Department of Social and Behavioral
Sciences in the name of her late brother. The more I knew her the more
I grew fond of her.”
Professor Nabil Dajani
The Campaign for Excellence
Why do you give?
“Because AUB graduates can make a difference.”
Rabih Itani (BE’ 92) | Beirut, Lebanon | Donor since 2003
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