Victor George Sayegh

Victor George Sayegh, 96, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2013 at his home in Fort Mill, South Carolina, in the presence of his family. He had defied the odds for 3 years following a debilitating stroke, thanks to the constant love and support of his wife, Julia, their family, and the dedicated care of the nurses of Bayada Home Health Care and Home Care and Hospice of Lancaster.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on December 25, 1916, Victor was defined by his deep faith and devotion to God. He was an inspiration and a gift to all he touched during his long and fruitful life. He attended New York’s Central School of Needle Trades (now Fashion Institute of Technology) and the McDowell School of Fashion Design and achieved success in the fashion industry as a founding partner of Lisanne Inc., manufacturer of distinctive ladies’ loungewear.

Victor’s skill and ambition were surpassed only by his compassion and generosity to others, particularly those in need; and his commitment to strong family values. Serving on the Board of Directors of Morality in Media, The Life Center of New York and the Waterbury (CT) Association of Retarded Citizens, he was also a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and Malta, former President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a supporter of Catholic Charities, the Salaam Club of NY, The Guild for Exceptional Children and the Jesuit Mission in Africa. After his retirement from business in 1986, Victor continued to dedicate his time and tailoring talents as a volunteer at the Southbury (CT) Training School and the Allegro Foundation in Charlotte, NC.

Victor was in awe of both the wonders of nature and the achievements of modern technology. A man in constant motion, whether on the dance floor or at his workbench, Victor was always looking for his next project. His self-published memoir, “Success the Hard Way: Eight is Not Enough”, is currently available at www.amazon.com.

Victor will be deeply missed by Julia (Mongelluzzo), his beloved wife of 57 years; their eight children: Dianne Niklaus (Bruno) of Cos Cob, CT; Donna de Molina (Alvaro) of Charlotte, NC; Stephen Sayegh of Newtown, CT; Victor Sayegh (Tiffany Howard) of Charlotte, NC; Lisa Sayegh of Bethesda, MD; Christine Conte (Augusto) of Charlotte, NC; Gregory Sayegh (Bernadett Vizi) of Norwalk, CT; and Danielle Stiglich (Sergio) of Lima, Peru; seventeen grandchildren, and his dear sister Evelyn Russo, of St. Peters, MO. He was predeceased by his parents, Nicholas and Nezha Sayegh, and brothers Albert and Edmund.

Visitation will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 on Monday, May 20, 2013 from 4:00 until 7:00 pm. Funeral mass will be held at the church on Tuesday, May 21 at 10:30 am, with Reverend Mark S. Lawlor officiating. Military honors to follow. Private burial will take place at the Veterans Cemetery in Salisbury, NC.

A second memorial service will take place in Brooklyn, NY at a later date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Victor’s name to Morality in Media (moralityinmedia.org), The Allegro Foundation (allegrofoundation.net) or the Jesuit Mission in Nigeria / Fr. Debany University Project (www.jesuits-anw.org). Condolences may be left in Victor’s online guestbook at McEwenPinevilleChapel.com.