The world lost one of its most gentle and kind souls on September 24, 2015 when Tanal Albert Aboussie, 97, passed away peacefully in the night of natural causes surrounded by his family in Valley Glen, California. Of his many famous and oft quoted sayings passed down through a lineage of storytellers, his resolve that "No one is a stranger," was central to his life philosophy. If we would only take time to share a moment with the people we meet, he would say, we could help one another through this life where all people know difficulty but continue to search for the beautiful. Kindness through acts of love and generosity were Tanal's hallmark attributes by which he lived each day of his life.
Tanal, affectionately referred to as "Pokey," by his family members, a reference made by his toddler neice, Carol Ann, who couldn't articulate "Uncle Tony," was born the son of Lebanese immigrants, Albert Michael Aboussie and Kamala (Haddad) Aboussie on January 27, 1918 in the small town of Duke, Oklahoma. It was in this and other rural settings of his youth that he would keenly observe the nature of people and find their stories to send them as oral accounts into the future as a flourished historic record of the times.
Of his many civic, business and personal contributions, his book titled, "Goodbye My Lebanon," was inspired and purpose driven by the story of his father's immigration as a young boy to the U.S. on a steam ship. It has become a family treasure, and a historic account for the Aboussie family.
Tanal attended school in Hollis, Oklahoma then Ardmore, and Vernon, Texas as the family followed the life of a dry goods merchant whose work as a store owner provided for his family of eight. A sensitive and curious young boy, Tanal would learn from his father and many of his relatives, the world of business, while he developed a keen sense of moral principle and ethics.
No one escaped the effects of the 1930s Great Depression, which shaped a generation's life perspective. Handouts and offerings of shelter to people in need were a commonplace practice, and Tanal's family helped many. They shared what they had with travelers and people down on their luck in those years. It is one reason why Tanal learned to see the lighter side, developing a sharp wit and sense of humor and another reason why he cared so deeply for social causes and the well-being of others.
His memorization of countless poems and songs and the telling of stories was an innate talent, cultivated by his family, tradition and life circumstances. Hundreds of children watched through the years as Tanal performed coin tricks for them leaving them mesmerized with a silver dollar in their palms for them to keep and remember a moment of magic.
At the University of Texas, Tanal studied law, and had a heart for history. But a would-be lawyer's life was derailed by WWII when In 1942 to 1945, he served instead as an investigator for the Office of Price Administration. In April of 1945 he married Gloria Jabara of Brooklyn, N.Y., moved to Waco, Texas to settle down as a retail business owner. He operated a children's wear store in Waco, taught his wife to cook and live in small-town America, and in 1947 moved to Wichita, where he opened Young Moderns shop for children. For many years he would often be heard making excuses to Gloria for the many times he would drive home a newly purchased vintage car, which of course he bought for a bargain. Once Gloria and Tanal started building a family, Tanal found what he loved best of all, being a family man. He took his role seriously and imaginatively as father to Richard, Pamela and Patricia.
In the years to follow, Tanal launched other business ventures,that would fulfill his great love of innovative thinking in the business arena. He founded Aboussie Brothers Audio Visual Systems, a company that designed and sold nurse call and pocket paging systems, and patient entertainment services to hospitals in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then in the 1960s, his newly formed company, Aboussie Electronic Systems, researched and designed closed-circuit audio visual systems for use in remote educational settings, which was the reason for his move to Dallas, Texas and a business merger with Ling-Temco-Vought Corporation. During those years he traveled to Brazil, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for this work in instructional television systems. In more recent years he worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration in Dallas, and served five years as District Director in New Orleans in the 1980s. After a transfer back to Dallas, he retired from the SBA in 1991, and worked as a real estate broker in the Dallas area.
For many years Tanal wore a ring on his right hand that signified his membership in the Masonic Lodge, following in the footsteps of his father. The square, compass and the Masonic letter "G", meant, he would say: to square our actions with all of mankind with the compass to keep our passions within due bounds, and together with the Masonic "G, " (the symbol for God) meant that every action was under the great architect of the universe. He dedicated his life to self-improvement and the service to others.
Tanal Albert Aboussie earned the love of many people in this world whose lives he deeply touched and transformed.
Tanal was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria (Jabara) Aboussie and son, Richard Tanal Aboussie. He is survived by his daughters, Pamela (Aboussie) Harper (Larry) and Patricia Aboussie, his sisters, Marge Aboussie and Katy (Aboussie) Massad, daughter-in-law, Molly Holt, and grandchildren, Charlie Aboussie, Aaron Harper (Francesca), Paul Harper, Michael Harper (Sarah), James Harper, Travis Leitch (Leah)and Marissa Leitch along with many members of his extended Lebanese-American family.
Funeral services will be held at Saturday, November 21, 2015 at All Saints Church in Wichita Falls. Graveside service will follow at 3:00 p.m. in Crestview Memorial Park of Wichita Falls.
Lunn Colonial Funeral Home
Wichita Falls, Texas
Tanal, affectionately referred to as "Pokey," by his family members, a reference made by his toddler neice, Carol Ann, who couldn't articulate "Uncle Tony," was born the son of Lebanese immigrants, Albert Michael Aboussie and Kamala (Haddad) Aboussie on January 27, 1918 in the small town of Duke, Oklahoma. It was in this and other rural settings of his youth that he would keenly observe the nature of people and find their stories to send them as oral accounts into the future as a flourished historic record of the times.
Of his many civic, business and personal contributions, his book titled, "Goodbye My Lebanon," was inspired and purpose driven by the story of his father's immigration as a young boy to the U.S. on a steam ship. It has become a family treasure, and a historic account for the Aboussie family.
Tanal attended school in Hollis, Oklahoma then Ardmore, and Vernon, Texas as the family followed the life of a dry goods merchant whose work as a store owner provided for his family of eight. A sensitive and curious young boy, Tanal would learn from his father and many of his relatives, the world of business, while he developed a keen sense of moral principle and ethics.
No one escaped the effects of the 1930s Great Depression, which shaped a generation's life perspective. Handouts and offerings of shelter to people in need were a commonplace practice, and Tanal's family helped many. They shared what they had with travelers and people down on their luck in those years. It is one reason why Tanal learned to see the lighter side, developing a sharp wit and sense of humor and another reason why he cared so deeply for social causes and the well-being of others.
His memorization of countless poems and songs and the telling of stories was an innate talent, cultivated by his family, tradition and life circumstances. Hundreds of children watched through the years as Tanal performed coin tricks for them leaving them mesmerized with a silver dollar in their palms for them to keep and remember a moment of magic.
At the University of Texas, Tanal studied law, and had a heart for history. But a would-be lawyer's life was derailed by WWII when In 1942 to 1945, he served instead as an investigator for the Office of Price Administration. In April of 1945 he married Gloria Jabara of Brooklyn, N.Y., moved to Waco, Texas to settle down as a retail business owner. He operated a children's wear store in Waco, taught his wife to cook and live in small-town America, and in 1947 moved to Wichita, where he opened Young Moderns shop for children. For many years he would often be heard making excuses to Gloria for the many times he would drive home a newly purchased vintage car, which of course he bought for a bargain. Once Gloria and Tanal started building a family, Tanal found what he loved best of all, being a family man. He took his role seriously and imaginatively as father to Richard, Pamela and Patricia.
In the years to follow, Tanal launched other business ventures,that would fulfill his great love of innovative thinking in the business arena. He founded Aboussie Brothers Audio Visual Systems, a company that designed and sold nurse call and pocket paging systems, and patient entertainment services to hospitals in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then in the 1960s, his newly formed company, Aboussie Electronic Systems, researched and designed closed-circuit audio visual systems for use in remote educational settings, which was the reason for his move to Dallas, Texas and a business merger with Ling-Temco-Vought Corporation. During those years he traveled to Brazil, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for this work in instructional television systems. In more recent years he worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration in Dallas, and served five years as District Director in New Orleans in the 1980s. After a transfer back to Dallas, he retired from the SBA in 1991, and worked as a real estate broker in the Dallas area.
For many years Tanal wore a ring on his right hand that signified his membership in the Masonic Lodge, following in the footsteps of his father. The square, compass and the Masonic letter "G", meant, he would say: to square our actions with all of mankind with the compass to keep our passions within due bounds, and together with the Masonic "G, " (the symbol for God) meant that every action was under the great architect of the universe. He dedicated his life to self-improvement and the service to others.
Tanal Albert Aboussie earned the love of many people in this world whose lives he deeply touched and transformed.
Tanal was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria (Jabara) Aboussie and son, Richard Tanal Aboussie. He is survived by his daughters, Pamela (Aboussie) Harper (Larry) and Patricia Aboussie, his sisters, Marge Aboussie and Katy (Aboussie) Massad, daughter-in-law, Molly Holt, and grandchildren, Charlie Aboussie, Aaron Harper (Francesca), Paul Harper, Michael Harper (Sarah), James Harper, Travis Leitch (Leah)and Marissa Leitch along with many members of his extended Lebanese-American family.
Funeral services will be held at Saturday, November 21, 2015 at All Saints Church in Wichita Falls. Graveside service will follow at 3:00 p.m. in Crestview Memorial Park of Wichita Falls.
Lunn Colonial Funeral Home
Wichita Falls, Texas
The world lost one of its most gentle and kind souls on September 24, 2015 when Tanal Albert Aboussie, 97, passed away peacefully in the night of natural causes surrounded by his family in Valley Glen, California. Of his many famous and oft quoted sayings passed down through a lineage of storytellers, his resolve that "No one is a stranger," was central to his life philosophy. If we would only take time to share a moment with the people we meet, he would say, we could help one another through this life where all people know difficulty but continue to search for the beautiful. Kindness through acts of love and generosity were Tanal's hallmark attributes by which he lived each day of his life.
Tanal, affectionately referred to as "Pokey," by his family members, a reference made by his toddler neice, Carol Ann, who couldn't articulate "Uncle Tony," was born the son of Lebanese immigrants, Albert Michael Aboussie and Kamala (Haddad) Aboussie on January 27, 1918 in the small town of Duke, Oklahoma. It was in this and other rural settings of his youth that he would keenly observe the nature of people and find their stories to send them as oral accounts into the future as a flourished historic record of the times.
Of his many civic, business and personal contributions, his book titled, "Goodbye My Lebanon," was inspired and purpose driven by the story of his father's immigration as a young boy to the U.S. on a steam ship. It has become a family treasure, and a historic account for the Aboussie family.
Tanal attended school in Hollis, Oklahoma then Ardmore, and Vernon, Texas as the family followed the life of a dry goods merchant whose work as a store owner provided for his family of eight. A sensitive and curious young boy, Tanal would learn from his father and many of his relatives, the world of business, while he developed a keen sense of moral principle and ethics.
No one escaped the effects of the 1930s Great Depression, which shaped a generation's life perspective. Handouts and offerings of shelter to people in need were a commonplace practice, and Tanal's family helped many. They shared what they had with travelers and people down on their luck in those years. It is one reason why Tanal learned to see the lighter side, developing a sharp wit and sense of humor and another reason why he cared so deeply for social causes and the well-being of others.
His memorization of countless poems and songs and the telling of stories was an innate talent, cultivated by his family, tradition and life circumstances. Hundreds of children watched through the years as Tanal performed coin tricks for them leaving them mesmerized with a silver dollar in their palms for them to keep and remember a moment of magic.
At the University of Texas, Tanal studied law, and had a heart for history. But a would-be lawyer's life was derailed by WWII when In 1942 to 1945, he served instead as an investigator for the Office of Price Administration. In April of 1945 he married Gloria Jabara of Brooklyn, N.Y., moved to Waco, Texas to settle down as a retail business owner. He operated a children's wear store in Waco, taught his wife to cook and live in small-town America, and in 1947 moved to Wichita, where he opened Young Moderns shop for children. For many years he would often be heard making excuses to Gloria for the many times he would drive home a newly purchased vintage car, which of course he bought for a bargain. Once Gloria and Tanal started building a family, Tanal found what he loved best of all, being a family man. He took his role seriously and imaginatively as father to Richard, Pamela and Patricia.
In the years to follow, Tanal launched other business ventures,that would fulfill his great love of innovative thinking in the business arena. He founded Aboussie Brothers Audio Visual Systems, a company that designed and sold nurse call and pocket paging systems, and patient entertainment services to hospitals in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then in the 1960s, his newly formed company, Aboussie Electronic Systems, researched and designed closed-circuit audio visual systems for use in remote educational settings, which was the reason for his move to Dallas, Texas and a business merger with Ling-Temco-Vought Corporation. During those years he traveled to Brazil, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for this work in instructional television systems. In more recent years he worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration in Dallas, and served five years as District Director in New Orleans in the 1980s. After a transfer back to Dallas, he retired from the SBA in 1991, and worked as a real estate broker in the Dallas area.
For many years Tanal wore a ring on his right hand that signified his membership in the Masonic Lodge, following in the footsteps of his father. The square, compass and the Masonic letter "G", meant, he would say: to square our actions with all of mankind with the compass to keep our passions within due bounds, and together with the Masonic "G, " (the symbol for God) meant that every action was under the great architect of the universe. He dedicated his life to self-improvement and the service to others.
Tanal Albert Aboussie earned the love of many people in this world whose lives he deeply touched and transformed.
Tanal was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria (Jabara) Aboussie and son, Richard Tanal Aboussie. He is survived by his daughters, Pamela (Aboussie) Harper (Larry) and Patricia Aboussie, his sisters, Marge Aboussie and Katy (Aboussie) Massad, daughter-in-law, Molly Holt, and grandchildren, Charlie Aboussie, Aaron Harper (Francesca), Paul Harper, Michael Harper (Sarah), James Harper, Travis Leitch (Leah)and Marissa Leitch along with many members of his extended Lebanese-American family.
Funeral services will be held at Saturday, November 21, 2015 at All Saints Church in Wichita Falls. Graveside service will follow at 3:00 p.m. in Crestview Memorial Park of Wichita Falls.
Lunn Colonial Funeral Home
Wichita Falls, Texas
Tanal, affectionately referred to as "Pokey," by his family members, a reference made by his toddler neice, Carol Ann, who couldn't articulate "Uncle Tony," was born the son of Lebanese immigrants, Albert Michael Aboussie and Kamala (Haddad) Aboussie on January 27, 1918 in the small town of Duke, Oklahoma. It was in this and other rural settings of his youth that he would keenly observe the nature of people and find their stories to send them as oral accounts into the future as a flourished historic record of the times.
Of his many civic, business and personal contributions, his book titled, "Goodbye My Lebanon," was inspired and purpose driven by the story of his father's immigration as a young boy to the U.S. on a steam ship. It has become a family treasure, and a historic account for the Aboussie family.
Tanal attended school in Hollis, Oklahoma then Ardmore, and Vernon, Texas as the family followed the life of a dry goods merchant whose work as a store owner provided for his family of eight. A sensitive and curious young boy, Tanal would learn from his father and many of his relatives, the world of business, while he developed a keen sense of moral principle and ethics.
No one escaped the effects of the 1930s Great Depression, which shaped a generation's life perspective. Handouts and offerings of shelter to people in need were a commonplace practice, and Tanal's family helped many. They shared what they had with travelers and people down on their luck in those years. It is one reason why Tanal learned to see the lighter side, developing a sharp wit and sense of humor and another reason why he cared so deeply for social causes and the well-being of others.
His memorization of countless poems and songs and the telling of stories was an innate talent, cultivated by his family, tradition and life circumstances. Hundreds of children watched through the years as Tanal performed coin tricks for them leaving them mesmerized with a silver dollar in their palms for them to keep and remember a moment of magic.
At the University of Texas, Tanal studied law, and had a heart for history. But a would-be lawyer's life was derailed by WWII when In 1942 to 1945, he served instead as an investigator for the Office of Price Administration. In April of 1945 he married Gloria Jabara of Brooklyn, N.Y., moved to Waco, Texas to settle down as a retail business owner. He operated a children's wear store in Waco, taught his wife to cook and live in small-town America, and in 1947 moved to Wichita, where he opened Young Moderns shop for children. For many years he would often be heard making excuses to Gloria for the many times he would drive home a newly purchased vintage car, which of course he bought for a bargain. Once Gloria and Tanal started building a family, Tanal found what he loved best of all, being a family man. He took his role seriously and imaginatively as father to Richard, Pamela and Patricia.
In the years to follow, Tanal launched other business ventures,that would fulfill his great love of innovative thinking in the business arena. He founded Aboussie Brothers Audio Visual Systems, a company that designed and sold nurse call and pocket paging systems, and patient entertainment services to hospitals in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then in the 1960s, his newly formed company, Aboussie Electronic Systems, researched and designed closed-circuit audio visual systems for use in remote educational settings, which was the reason for his move to Dallas, Texas and a business merger with Ling-Temco-Vought Corporation. During those years he traveled to Brazil, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for this work in instructional television systems. In more recent years he worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration in Dallas, and served five years as District Director in New Orleans in the 1980s. After a transfer back to Dallas, he retired from the SBA in 1991, and worked as a real estate broker in the Dallas area.
For many years Tanal wore a ring on his right hand that signified his membership in the Masonic Lodge, following in the footsteps of his father. The square, compass and the Masonic letter "G", meant, he would say: to square our actions with all of mankind with the compass to keep our passions within due bounds, and together with the Masonic "G, " (the symbol for God) meant that every action was under the great architect of the universe. He dedicated his life to self-improvement and the service to others.
Tanal Albert Aboussie earned the love of many people in this world whose lives he deeply touched and transformed.
Tanal was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria (Jabara) Aboussie and son, Richard Tanal Aboussie. He is survived by his daughters, Pamela (Aboussie) Harper (Larry) and Patricia Aboussie, his sisters, Marge Aboussie and Katy (Aboussie) Massad, daughter-in-law, Molly Holt, and grandchildren, Charlie Aboussie, Aaron Harper (Francesca), Paul Harper, Michael Harper (Sarah), James Harper, Travis Leitch (Leah)and Marissa Leitch along with many members of his extended Lebanese-American family.
Funeral services will be held at Saturday, November 21, 2015 at All Saints Church in Wichita Falls. Graveside service will follow at 3:00 p.m. in Crestview Memorial Park of Wichita Falls.
Lunn Colonial Funeral Home
Wichita Falls, Texas
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