Peter F. Abboud

Peter Fouad Abboud was born in Jaffa, Palestine on June 30, 1931, and went to be with the Lord on October 21, 2023. He grew up in a Greek Orthodox family and in 1947 he and his family had to flee from their home, and after months in a desert camp, ended up in Cairo, Egypt, where he met and married his wife, Victorine Constantin. He made a personal commitment to Christ and often preached in the open Brethren church in Cairo. He also taught at the English Mission College and earned a BS and an MA in Oriental Studies from the American University of Cairo, where he also taught. His dissertation involved studying a copy of the book of Habakkuk which was found in St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai desert. In 1961, he was recruited to come to the University of Texas to teach in the newly created Arabic language program and he, his wife and daughter immigrated to the United States that year. He received an MA and a PhD in Linguistics at U.T., helped develop the Arabic language program at the university, and taught Arabic and linguistics there for almost 50 years before retiring in 2011. He had a gift for languages. He spoke English, Arabic, and French fluently and was conversant with several more, including ancient Hebrew and Aramaic. He contributed in numerous ways to the teaching of Arabic, including co-authoring several books which were adopted by many universities and heading the intensive Arabic Summer Program at Middlebury College. He continued preaching here and abroad and many came to know Christ and grow in their faith through his ministry. He loved to travel and to read. He was preceded in death by his wife, Vicky, and his brother Assad, and is survived by his daughter, Ruth Abboud Cross, her husband Terry Cross, his grandchildren Adam Cross (Susan), Andrew Cross (Sushma), Danielle Smith (Kent), great-granddaughters Emerson Mae Cross and Madelyn Joy Cross, brothers, Dr. Charles Abboud (Lina) and Raymond Abboud (Samira), as well as many nephews, nieces, and cousins. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, October 26, 2023, at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home, 5416 Parkcrest Dr. Austin, Texas 78731, and a memorial service will be held 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 10, 2023, at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishnorth.com for the Abboud family.