Saba Shukri Halaby

A Celebration of Life for Saba Shukri Halaby, 78 , of Harker Heights, will be 11:00 AM Wednesday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen with Chaplain Beth Bartlett of Midlothian, officiating. A reception with the family will follow the service and then burial will be at the Killeen City Cemetery.

Saba entered eternal rest on September 18, 2019 in Harker Heights surrounded by his loved ones. He was born in Jerusalem, Palestine on July 28, 1941 to the late Shukri Saba Halaby and Leone Zawani. He was preceded in death by his sister, Nawal Fuad Kattan. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Belle Halaby of Harker Heights; one son, Michael Allen Halaby of Thrall, Texas; and one brother, Suhail Halaby of Amman, Jordan; three nephews and six nieces.

Saba went to Latin School, Franciscian, in Amman, Jordan. He attended American University in Beirut for one year, thereafter to Texas in 1961 and graduated from Texas Western College (University of Texas) in January 1965 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.

He worked for the city of Waco, Texas in the engineering department for 1 year, thereafter 2 ½ years in Aqaba, Jordan, in town planning. He worked for the city of Wichita Falls, Texas in 1968 in the engineering division, thereafter the city of Killeen, Texas in April of 1971, as director of Public Works. In 1977, he resigned and became self-employed.

During his tenure as self-employed he built homes under the names of Manor Homes and Halaby Construction, Inc., which included several sub-divisions. He built apartments in College Station in 1981 and acquired more apartments with the help of family members for a total of over 500 units. These were sold in 2007.

He served on the Board of Directors of First Texas Bank in Killeen for 25 years, Central Texas Home Builders Association as Vice-President in 1995 and on the Board of Directors from 1993 to 1995. In 2007 he was asked to help organize Enterprise Bank in Bryan, Texas which later was sold to The Bank and Trust in Bryan-College Station, Texas, and served as chairman of the loan committee and a member of the Board of Directors. He was also a Master Mason with the Grand Lodge of Texas, Shriners, and a previous member of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers.

Pallbearers will be John Reider, Dave Lazar, Glenn Michalk, Don Farek, Ramiro Galindo and Carlos McDowell.

The family will receive visitors 6:00-8:00 PM Tuesday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen. Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Scott & White Hospice or St. Jude Children’s Hospital in his memory.