Naguib George Mekhel

In Loving Memory of Naguib George Mekhel

Naguib George Mekhel, who departed this life on July 19th, 2025, was born in Cairo, Egypt on September 2nd, 1948, the second of four children of George Naguib Mekhel and Farida Shoukri Beshara.

As a child, Naguib loved the Boy Scouts and was an avid soccer fan–a passion that stayed with him throughout his life. He was studious and serious, often with his nose buried in books, and even from a young age, his faith in God was unshakeable. He grew up humbly in Cairo but with a determination to create a meaningful life.

Naguib set high goals for himself and dedicated his young adult years to studying and pursuing a career in civil engineering. Books, mathematics, and design were his world and his studies always came first. His vision, focus, and imagination helped him excel in a career he truly loved and remained proud of throughout his life.

Through hard work and persistence, he graduated from Ein Shams University in Cairo and began his career as a civil engineer in the Egyptian Army. Among his proudest accomplishments was designing and building runways for fighter jets during the Yom Kippur War (also known as the Arab-Israeli War of 1973). He served in the army as a sergeant from 1973 to 1976.

At age 25, during his time in the army, Naguib met the love of his life, Mary, who was just 17 at the time. After completing his military service, the two married on March 4th, 1976–a marriage that would last nearly 50 years.

Naguib went on to further his civil engineering career, working for a year in Libya where he designed and built a bridge between two mountains–a project marked by a plaque bearing his name. He later returned to Cairo to work as a construction manager.

Soon after returning to Cairo, Naguib learned that his beloved mother had fallen ill with cancer. Without hesitation, he dedicated himself to caring for her, spending all of his earnings to support her medical needs. His devotion to his mother during this difficult time was unwavering and selfless. That act of love–giving wholeheartedly and without expectation–became a profound blessing that followed him for the rest of his life. It shaped who he was: a man who gave everything for those he loved, and who was richly blessed in return throughout his journey.

In 1979, Naguib and Mary welcomed their first child, Yasmin, followed by their second daughter, Sue-Ellen, four years later.

In 1986, Naguib and his family immigrated to the United States, settling in Chicago, Illinois, where they lived for 14 years. Upon arriving, Naguib had to start over, pursuing additional certifications to become licensed as a Professional Engineer in the U.S. Just one year after the move, in 1987, he was faced with a life-threatening challenge: a brain tumor. With Unshakable faith in God, the love and support of his wife and family, and incredible perseverance, he overcame this trial–one of the most difficult of his life.

In 1992, Naguib and Mary welcomed their 3rd child, Abram, and in the same year, Naguib earned his professional engineering licenses in Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. In 2000, he obtained his California license and made his way with his family to the West Coast to Bakersfield, CA to begin a new chapter.

Throughout his career, Naguib remained deeply passionate about his work. Even in later years, you could often find him at his drawing board, drafting blueprints, or working on projects by hand.

In the last decade of his life, Naguib faced cancer multiple times, bravely battling lymphoma–overcoming it three times–and eventually leukemia. Through it all, his faith in God never wavered. He was a devout Orthodox Christian, always putting God first, and his strength and spiritual devotion were truly inspiring.

Naguib’s love for his wife, Mary, was profound and wholehearted. His adoration for his three children and ten grandchildren was beyond measure. He was an extremely caring, humble, and noble man–a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

There are no words to fully capture how deeply he will be missed. His love, strength, and legacy will live on in our hearts forever.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Naguib Mekhel, please consider making a church donation to St. George in Bakersfield (Naguib’s home church) and/or to Sts. Constantine & Helen in Texas where his son, the Reverend Deacon George serves (and also near Naguib’s burial site).

https://www.stgeorgebakersfield.org/donations

https://www.constantinehelen.com/donations/memorial-fund/