Refaat Abdalla

Refaat Sedky Abdalla passed away after a brief hospitalization due to COVID-19. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 on January 14, was admitted to the hospital on the 18 th but, to our great sadness, he succumbed to the disease and went to his rest on February 1, 2021. Refaat was well-loved by all who knew him. He taught in the Faculty of Business Administration at Middle East University (MEU), served as the Dean of Students, and generally assisted in any area he could. His no-nonsense approach to life was mingled with a keen intellect and genuine care for others which shone through in all he did and said. In committees he was quick to point out a solution or speak up for equal treatment of all. With students, he was frank yet loving; they knew that when he gave advice he meant it for their own good. He worked quietly to share the gospel through his life, from sharing inspirational books with colleagues at the nearby university, to helping students stop smoking. Students looked forward to his "PDA talk" at orientation each fall, when he would jokingly reprimand the couples not to "hug and kiss each other so much that you make the single students feel so sad they want to go and hug a tree!" Student after student remembered him on social media as a mentor and leader who was full of encouragement, and one of the best instructors dedicated to education. He was kind, professional, generous, friendly, caring, and had a wonderful sense of humor. He always had a smile on his face. Born November 6, 1961 in Assiut to Mr. Sedky and Mrs. Oum El Saad, Refaat grew up in Tatalia, Upper Egypt. He graduated from Nile Union Academy in 1981. After studying at Middle East College (MEC, now MEU) from 1981-1983, he went on to complete his BSc in Accounting at Philippine Union College (now AUP in Silang, Cavite, Philippines) in 1988. Refaat received his MBA in Management in 1989 from the University of the East, also in the Philippines. He began teaching at MEC that same year under President Dr. Edmond Haddad. He was the dean of men for 9 years, Dean of Students for 11 years, and taught in the Faculty of Business Administration for more than 31 years. Some of the classes he taught included Marketing and Management, as well as various business courses such as Organizational Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Business Law, Motivation and Work Behavior, and Advertising and Promotion. He married his sweetheart, Ebtissam Jbara, in August 1993. A year later their son Bassam was born and two years later they welcomed daughter Melodie into their family. While officially an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration and Dean of Students, Refaat unofficially helped in many areas on campus, including managing the IT in a volunteer position for a number of years. He also taught business courses as an adjunct faculty for Andrews University in their off-campus program at MEU. His more than 31 years of service at MEU were filled with dedication to God's work and impacted the lives of countless students and faculty. Refaat will always be remembered for his passion for life and his dedication, leadership, willingness to help, and love for others. He was a devoted husband, father, and friend. Refaat is survived by his wife Ebtissam and his son Bassam, daughter Melodie, and brother Adel. One friend who gave tribute to him said it well: "It's true that your pen has stopped now, but the pages are full, thank God. We belong to God and to Him we shall return." As friends, campus and community mourns Refaat's loss, we keep his family in our prayers as we look forward to the soon-coming of Jesus-when every tear will be wiped away, death is destroyed forever, and we are able to see our loved ones again. His funeral service was livestreamed on February 2, 2021 in the Bouchrieh Seventh-day Adventist Church in Beirut, Lebanon, and can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/universitychurchlebanon