Ghabour F. Ghabour

LEWES -- Ghabour Ghabour died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease in Lewes, Delaware, on December 4, 2024. He was 83 years old.

Born and raised in Al Fayoum, Egypt to Miriam Morgan Gerges and Fayek Ghabour, Ghabour earned a veterinarian’s degree from the University of Cairo. In September of 1969, he immigrated to the United States in hopes of a better life for his future family, spending brief stints in New York, Texas, and New Jersey. In 1972, he returned to Egypt, where he married Janette, to whom he would remain married for the 52 years until his passing. In February of 1976, days after the birth of their first child, the Ghabours moved to Georgetown, Delaware, where Ghabour took up a U.S.D.A. job as inspector-in-charge at Perdue. He would serve faithfully there until his retirement 35 years later.

As a legendary teller of stories and jokes, Ghabour, affectionately known by many as “Doc,” was the life of every party and the energy that powered his boisterously joyful home life with Janette and their three children. He avidly loved the outdoors, frequenting the trails and pond on his property on a daily basis for as long as his legs would support him. A lifelong lover of animals, he kept dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, goats and a turkey (named “George Washington”) on his farm at home. In all things, Ghabour was incapable of envy, pessimism, or ingratitude. He always said that God had given him more than he ever dreamed of and more than he deserved. That spirit never diminished as his body began to fail him. Even serious setbacks left him thanking God “a thousand times” for whatever he still had.

Ghabour was preceded in death by his sister Wedad and grandson Elijah.

He is survived by his wife Janette, daughter Sally, sons Eddie (Lauren) and Joey (Becky), and grandchildren Eddie, Jr., Lilly, and Gavin, as well as many brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

The funeral will be held at St. Andrew the Apostle Orthodox Church, 33384 Mackenzie Way, Lewes, Delaware on Thursday, December 12th at 11:00am, followed by the burial at Union Cemetery in Georgetown, Delaware.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that in remembrance of Ghabour, a charitable donation be made to Delaware Hospice (https://delawarehospice.org/donate/memorial-gifts/) or to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org/delval?form=FUNDHYMMBXU).

Arrangements are in the care of Short Funeral Services in Milton, where online condolences for the family may be shared at www.shortfuneralservicesandcremation.com