DR. SABAH A AL-HADAD

Dr. Sabah Al-Hadad of San Luis Obispo, succumbed to cancer after a tenacious battle on the morning of June 13, 2023. While his remarkable life has ended, he joined his wife (Samira), father (Ahmed), mother (Naima), and siblings (Faiza, Salah, Ferdous) at what is surely a lively table filled in heaven, with hugs and laughter and sweet tea. Sabah was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1934. He had an active childhood playing tennis, soccer, and raising birds and homing pigeons. He swam and fished in the Tigris River just beyond his childhood home. Sabah was born when Iraq was still colonialized, but the people of Iraq were struggling for independence. As a young man, who had a keen interest in politics and social justice, Sabah participated in clandestine meetings that were instrumental in developing the Ba’ath party, which eventually came to power in 1958. Out of concern for his safety, Sabah’s parents arranged for him to attend Texas Tech University in 1956 in the United States. Shortly after arriving in Texas, Sabah met a beautiful Lebanese nursing student and his future wife, Samira Atiya. They married and soon thereafter had a daughter, Jenann, in 1960, and a son, Sig in 1966. After completing his undergraduate studies, Sabah was accepted and graduated from Cal Poly State University at San Luis Obispo with a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering. When Sabah received an offer to join the Iraqi government in the Agricultural Engineering Department, he and Samira briefly returned to his homeland. However, they soon decided to return to San Luis Obispo in 1963, where Sabah became a math professor at Cal Poly. Samira began working as a nurse at French Hospital. They proudly became American Citizens. Sabah was a born educator; he had teaching in his DNA. One of his uncles began the School of Dentistry in Iraq and many in his family were schoolteachers. Sabah became an accomplished professor and during his 30 years at Cal Poly he diligently worked 15 summer quarters and authored three math instruction books that were adopted by Cal Poly to use in the math department. He obtained his Doctorate in Education from Arizona State University in 1971. He advised several Cal Poly clubs and individuals and provided thousands of hours of free tutoring to students of all ages and majors well into his retirement. Sabah and Samira opened their home to international students and families and individuals working their way through school. They enjoyed diversity and encouraged exposure to a variety of cultures and beliefs. Their home hosted people from all over the world, from the Arab Emirates to Germany, China and more. Sabah put his agricultural knowledge to good use planting over 20 varieties of fruit trees in their home garden. He found places for persimmons, pomegranates, pears, figs apples, quince, feijoas and every type of citrus. He offered cuttings to anyone who asked and many who did not ask, He was a source of great information on grafting, pruning and plant maintenance. Sabah was a man of many talents and interest and a man of integrity and character. He was honest to a fault, sharing his opinions and beliefs, often without invitation. He was known in his extended family to be a source of conversation and his advice was sought after by many for his knowledge. He was proud, stubborn, disciplined and set his standards high. He was principled and generous, and considered himself a humanitarian and a man of reason. He was more than a professor of math at Cal Poly SLO. He was an example of a polymath, knowledgeable about a multitude of topics: history, geography, language, science, poetry, sociology, philosophy, education and more. Anyone who knew Sabah knew that he was a cheerleader of his childrens’ dreams and his friends’ hopes. Upon retirement he made himself available to assist his daughter in her Kinko’s business and his son running errands for his law office. He was a father who reveled in his childrens’ talents and aspirations. He encouraged the pursuit of education and knowledge in all forms through classrooms, travel, and personal and professional experiences. When his wife became bedridden, he spent hours with her, daily. He was devoted to her comfort and wellbeing. He entertained her with wheelchair walks through the halls of her facility and imaginary stories and fables that put a smile on her face. He planted a flower garden outside her windows and tucked her into her bed at the end of a long day. He would happily spend hours with his granddaughters, Catie and Maddie, creating art, gardening, looking for lady bugs, and kicking the soccer ball. As they aged, he followed their interests, encouraged, and supported their goals. As first-generation immigrants he and Samira worked ambitiously to build a foundation for their family to thrive and they proudly viewed their granddaughters as the next in their legacy. His final words and last bit of advice was “just love.” Sabah is survived by his devoted daughter Jenann (married to Bill McLennan); his beloved son Sig: and two sources of joy and pride—his granddaughters Catie and Maddie. He also leaves behind his brother Ibrahim Al-Hadad, his entire Iraqi extended family and locally, 21 nieces and nephews, their spouses, and their children.

DR. SABAH A AL-HADAD

February 4, 1934 - June 13, 2023