Anis El Jurdi

Beloved husband of the late Amira (nee Rawda, www.dignitymemorial.com), adoring father of Dr. Dalal Haldeman (Glenn), Dr. Raja Jurdi (Rose) and Nora Bizri (Hussein); loving grandfather of Dr. Shadi Jurdi (Betsy), Rodina Baryak (John), Zahi Jurdi (Megan), Dr. Suraya Haldeman, and Youssef Bizri; caring great-grandfather of Marlo Jurdi, Finley Jurdi, Johnny Robert Baryak, and Rayne Amira Baryak; beloved uncle of Mounir Jurdi, Najwa Rawdah and the late Hisham Jurdi; brother of Linda and Jamal, and of late siblings Selim, Adma, Nabiha, Salwa, Anissa and Asma; uncle of 39 beloved nieces and nephews and mentor of many of the children.

Anis was born in the beautiful mountains of Aley, Lebanon, to Hussein and Adele Jurdi. Always physically active, he became a distinguished gymnast who perfected the rings and uneven parallel bars, winning several awards. He loved the outdoors, especially hunting trips.

As a young teenager he chose to train as a mechanical engineer, and eventually became well known in his field for delivering quality work and always keeping his word. He was also a self-made entrepreneur and inventor who filed several patents in his name.

Anis served as an international consultant for GE, Pepsico and several European firms. He helped plan mechanical engineering shows in Beirut and other Middle East sites, and was active in the municipality of Aley.

Everyone trusted his words and his promises. When he committed to anything, he would go all the way.

Anis loved traveling and loved life. He often hosted large dinner parties with his wife, Amira.

His children remembered their dad returning from trips in Europe with suitcases full of beautiful books, toys and other gifts for family members and friends

Anis fell in Love with Amira Rawda and called her his princess. His friends and children remember him telling the story how he courted Amira and how he would ride his motorcycle at night to just see the lights go off in her bedroom and dream about her going to sleep. Later they remember him telling Amira how much he loved his three children, and how thankful he was to have her as their mother, and as his wife. He was always grateful, generous and thankful. He was not easily intimidated, however, and if he were in a disagreement, or upset about something, he would make that known.

Anis stood his ground to support the truth and what he believed was right.

“When I was born, his first born, mom and dad tell the story of how some family members lamented the fact that his first born was not a boy,” says his daughter Dalal. “Dad immediately declared that his little girl was his joy and that she will grow up to be whatever she wanted to be. And he kept that promise.”

“My dad was a genius in his mechanical engineering abilities and at fixing anything he wanted to touch,” says Raja, his son. “But what I value the most are his words of wisdom. Everything he told me about life and people proved to be true. He was smart and worked hard and he had a very high respect for integrity. His words, smile and witty humor will be with me forever.”

“I will always remember how gregarious and strong my dad was,” says his daughter Nora. “Even in his nineties he would be planning how he would be turning another year older. He would always greet me with a smile and was always open to going out and traveling. He enjoyed what life has to offer, and he always had a way to lift the spirits of the people in his presence.”

Anis’s grandchildren learned many values from him: to always help each other when in need, to always value education, family, respect and integrity, to aim high and to never give up.

Here are some stories his grandchildren wanted to share:

"Every time I saw grandpa Anis ( we called him Jiddo), he would remind me to always love and take care of my brother" says Zahi Jurdi. " He really valued the importance of love and compassion among family members, and wanted brotherly love to be our value".

"Jiddo was born in 1922, four years after the end of World War 1 “, wrote Rodina Bizri. " I was so lucky to have heard his stories. I got a glimpse of his perspective on his life as well as of the world’s history. As a child he remembered the Ottoman soldiers who stayed in Lebanon. He remembered that they would steal his family’s chickens to fend off starvation. At the age of 7, Jiddo contracted polio, the local physician forecasted that he would not survive winter. Little did he know, that Jiddo had a strong constitution and that he was a survivor. This would be a characteristic of his throughout his life. The physician was shocked when he passed by in the spring and Jiddo, albeit weak, was still alive. Jiddo really loved and respected his father. At the age of 12 he held his father’s hand as he passed away. After he lost his father, Jiddo depended on his older brother and sisters to navigate the world. His eldest brother, Salim introduced him to his profession as well as to his wife Amira. When Jiddo was 17, World War 2 had started. Although Lebanon was neutral, they were ruled by the French Fascist Vichy Regime. When Jiddo was 21, Lebanon demanded its independence from the French. He supported the ideology of the leaders of the revolts. In 1943 Lebanon became a sovereign nation state and my grandfather was there to witness it. As the country was growing, so was Jiddo’s reputation as a renowned mechanical engineer across Lebanon and Syria. He was an entrepreneur and an inventor; his patents and inventions were applauded internationally. They saved many lives and promoted safety in a world where auto-motives were being introduced for use in construction and manufacturing. He was a great man and a compassionate one as well. My grandpa used to rock me to sleep as a baby. One of my earliest memories in life is of how he used to hold me high in the air and spin. He would shave his beard so that his hairs wouldn’t scratch me and put shaving cream on my nose. He promoted the value of education and encouraged me to excel in school. He would listen to me when I recited poetry and clap for me at the end of the poem. He always encouraged me to love, guide and protect my brother. He was so proud of our closeness and of our ability to achieve success together. My Jiddo supported my family financially and emotionally through all of our difficult times. He loved my children very much. They were so lucky to have known him. He was truly one of a kind! He made a huge mark in the history of Lebanon, the history of our family and most importantly in my heart. I miss you Jiddo!"

"2017 has been a very trying year for my family" says Youssef Bizri. "We’ve had to say goodbye to two very special people. Our beloved Grandparents Amira and Anis Jurdi gave us everything we could ever ask for. They loved us unconditionally and they taught us to dream big and fight for what we wanted. I thank them every day for the strength and courage they instilled in me. My grandfather’s passing was also unexpected, and losing him so closely to my grandmother was even more painful. Their loss has shaken me to my core. It hurts so much not to have them with us anymore. They were both everything to me, and the fond memories I have of them are the only things making me smile right now.

My grandfather was my hero when I was growing up. We spent so much time together and he taught me so much about life, and inventing all sorts of things. He even taught me how to harass a squirrel-loving woman who was mean to me named Joe. He cared so deeply for my family and you could see it on his face any time we were all together. Just seeing us gathered for dinner or family events would make him smile and brighten his day. I hope that these words find him wherever he is. He and my grandma will be in my heart and part of my sky wherever I go. I look forward to the night now and realize that while my days may seem a little dimmer, the night sky is a little brighter with two amazing stars. I love them both so much and I will never forget how much love and compassion they gave me."

The family will host a memorial luncheon to celebrate his life. Friends are invited to

BW, 3011 Westgate mall, Fairview Park 44126 at Center Ridge, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday December 16, 2017.

In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted in his name at the senior center of Fairview Park:

In memory of Anis El Jurdi

20769 Lorain Road

Fairview Park, OH 44126

Phone: (440) 356-4437