Christo M. Wassouf went to his heavenly home on Sunday, November 19, at Lutheran Life Villages of Inverness with his wife, Beverly, by his side. He was born in Maten, Syria, to the late Michael and Mary Wassouf in 1938. Encouraged by his father, he came to the United States in 1962 to pursue higher education. He did not speak English; thus he enrolled in the English Language Institute at the University of Michigan. He majored in Chemistry and transferred to Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne where he graduated in 1967 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
His first and only place of employment for 38 ½ years was with Essex Group/United Technologies in Marion, Lafayette and Fort Wayne. His last position with this company was Senior Vice President of Operations. While in Marion, Indiana, he met and married his wife of 53 years, Beverly. Their sons, Michael and Jeffrey were born in Marion. He became a US citizen in 1974. Essex then moved the family to West Lafayette and finally to Essex Headquarters in Fort Wayne in 1988. Throughout his job with Essex, Chris traveled extensively both inside and outside the US. He was influential in building a plant in Torreon, Mexico. Chris retired from Superior Essex in 2005.
Chris and Beverly loved to travel, especially cruising, and completed their 20th cruise in February, 2023. They wintered in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Chris also loved to play golf, especially at Orchard Ridge Country Club where he was co-owner for several years, to garden, to work in his yard and to walk several times a day weather permitting. He loved to meet new people/neighbors and strike up conversations on these walks.
Chris is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Beverly; sons, Michael (Cindy) Wassouf of Indianapolis, Indiana and Jeffrey (Aubrey) Wassouf of Portland, Oregon; twin 2 ½ year old grandsons, Aaron and Cameron; sister, Christine of Syria; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brother and two sisters of Syria; and relatives who resided in the United States.
Funeral Service is 12:30 pm Thursday, November 30 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 2417 Getz Road, Fort Wayne with calling one hour prior. Friends and family will be received from 4:00 - 7:00 pm on Wednesday, November 29 at D.O. McComb & Sons Funeral Homes - Covington Knolls, 8325 Covington Road, Fort Wayne. Entombment at Covington Memorial Park, Fort Wayne.
Memorial Contributions may be directed to Eleos Hospice of Fort Wayne, 4432 Ardmore Ave Unit B, Fort Wayne, IN 46809; the National Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601; The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.mccombandsons.com for the Wassouf family.
