Sylvia Cleopatra “Cleo” Sidaros Mansour went to be with her Lord Jesus on January 8, 2023. She was born on August 15, 1932 in Teufen, Switzerland to Berta Müller and Nicolas Sidaros. Her father, educated in Birmingham, England, held a post in the Egyptian Ministry of Education, and her mother came to Egypt as a missionary. Her childhood was spent in Egypt with her parents, and then later she lived in Switzerland with her aunt Emmi Müller and grandmother, Anna Müller, attending the University of St. Gallen and the University of Zurich. After graduating from college with a degree in medical technology, she returned to Egypt and worked for NAMRU - the U.S. Naval Research Medical Research Unit. There she was part of the team that isolated the West Nile virus.
It was in Egypt that she met and married a young doctor Kamal Mansour, who was also part of a small group of Protestant Christians that met at Gospel Hall in Cairo. She joined Kamal in his work at the Baptist Hospital in Ajloun, Jordan and Gaza, during which time their only child Sylvia Frederica was born.
The opportunity opened for them to come to the U.S. in 1962, and it was the fulfillment of a dream even though they had no idea what lay ahead. They arrived in Atlanta after a year in Baltimore, MD., and while Kamal began his general surgery residency at Georgia Baptist Hospital, Cleo began 14 years of viral research work with the Emory University Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
After Delta Air Lines began its first flights to/from Frankfurt, Germany in 1979, Cleo answered the call for German speakers to assist arriving passengers. Her service as a volunteer soon expanded as she joined a fledgling staff of professional language interpreters and more airlines flew into Hartsfield Airport from around the world. She pursued and received a certificate in translation and interpretation from Georgia State University. In the pre-9/11 days, she assisted families navigating the airport while also helping reunite families. She was honored to work with Immigration and Customs officials protecting the country, providing language interpretation when needed. She served faithfully in a role that was not just work but a source of enjoyment and fulfillment, learning new languages and even recruiting her husband to give medical advice to ailing passengers.
Her loved ones include daughter Sylvia and husband Samy Naguib; grandson Nicolas and wife Erin Bailey Naguib and great-grandchildren Liesl and Blitz Naguib of Ann Arbor, MI; sister-in law Nadia Mansour, nephew Andrew and wife Kim Mansour, Abigail and Isaac of Jacksonville, FL; nephew Talaat and wife Magy Tadros, daughters Mary Grace and husband Forrest Hormel, and Sarah Tadros; niece Salwa Narouz and son Shady and wife Samar Guirguis, Nolan, Trevor, and Javin of Maitland, FL; nephew Maher and wife Dalal Mansour, son Sherif and wife Karla Mansour, Ellyana, Isabelle, and Xavier of Hudson, OH. Other beloved nieces, nephews and cousins span the globe from Switzerland and Egypt to Australia.
When she was a child during WWII, Cleo’s parents opened their home to Bible studies in English and French, hosting many missionaries and even RAF pilots. She grew up hearing the Bible message in different settings and different languages. She loved others out of the love she received from her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There will be a memorial service at Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church on Friday, January 20 at 11:00 am. Memorial gifts may be made to the Atlanta Master Chorale or Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church.
