George Y. Abboud

George Youssef Abboud, age 69, passed away peacefully at his home in Bel Air, Maryland, on October 5, 2024. Born in Jaj, Lebanon, he was the son of Marie Yaacoub Abboud and the late Youssef George Abboud. He was also the loving husband of the late Louise Ann Abboud.

George embodied the classic immigrant success story. Fleeing civil strife in Lebanon during the 1970s, he made his way to Philadelphia, arriving in a foreign land with few possessions and only a rudimentary knowledge of English. He dedicated himself to improving his English and studying computer engineering, becoming fluent in the former and making the latter his lifelong career. An avid entrepreneur, George was always looking for opportunities to start a new business. In addition to his day job as a computer engineer, he spent nights and weekends working at his restaurant, Maria’s Carry Out, which he owned and operated in Bel Air for over 30 years. George also had a passion for real estate and an abiding fondness for investing in the financial markets. 

For George, family was always his highest priority. He was a man who enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: the company of others over a cup of Turkish coffee, jovial banter or an evening under the stars of his beloved Lebanese village. He always delighted his grandchildren with some kind of forbidden sweet — whether chocolate, candy, or baklava — during their visits. In his younger years, George enjoyed playing volleyball, and he remained an enthusiastic fan of the Baltimore Ravens throughout his life. A devoted Maronite Christian in Lebanon, George adopted St. Margaret’s Catholic Church as his place of worship when he moved to Maryland.

In addition to his mother, George is survived by his four children: Joseph (Vadicel) Abboud, Michael (Wendy) Abboud, Jennifer (Robert) Lichty, and Tony (Stefanie) Abboud. He leaves six grandchildren — soon to be seven — to cherish his memory: Grayson, Sophia, Olivia, Josephine, Everly, and George. He is also survived by nine siblings: Amale Salameh, Moussi Abboud, John Abboud, Farid Abboud, Hende Abboud, Maha Abboud, Nada Khoury, Fatate Abboud, and Gaby Abboud. In addition to his father and wife, George was preceded in death by two brothers, Michel and Antoine Abboud, and a daughter, Nicole Abboud.

Contributions in George’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.