Entisar Sabbagh, PhD
I was fortunate when I asked Vivi for her hand in marriage that she accepted. Through our marriage I joined the Albanna family and became one of them. The Albanna family was a highly educated and important family in Iraq respected for their status and service to the community. Vivi's father Gabriel Albanna was a founder of Iraq's College of Law where he was also a professor. Previously he had studied and taught at the Sorbonne in Paris France. Her mother Georgette was talented and multilingual. Together Vivi's parents inspired her and her two brothers with a passion for education. One brother Sami has his doctorate and the other Faisal is an MD. Our own two sons follow the tradition as Hadil has his doctorate and Marwan is an MD. Education is central to the lives of our two grandchildren as well. After arriving in the U.S. Vivi chose to put her higher education temporarily on hold to care for our two young children. But over time as our family moved to several different states Vivi continued to take courses in education always searching for what became her ultimate interest anthropology. In anthropology Vivi found answers to her boundless curiosity about people their cultures and their food. When we finally settled in Tucson Arizona Vivi finished her undergraduate work graduating Magna Cum Laude even as she continued as a full-time mother and wife. Despite the hardship Vivi progressed to earn her PhD in anthropology. Vivi is a perfectionist ambitious generous and humanitarian in all her instincts. She is totally dedicated to her alma mater the University of Arizona where she has spent many hours as a volunteer in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences especially Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies. Her love and concern for our country of origin Iraq prompted Vivi to start the Sabbagh Lecture Series through the University's Anthropology Department to celebrate and give back to both the Arab and American cultures. Every year the Series invites prominent professors to deliver state-of-the-art lectures in related subjects. Vivi has proved to be a quiet strong and compassionate leader dealing with others fairly and with good humor. She believes that her greatest strength is her deep loyalty to family and friends to whom she is unfailingly caring and loving. Vivi cherishes art music and theater and remains an avid reader of books. Vivi believes in quiet philanthropy particularly giving of herself as a volunteer. I am in awe of my great and dear friend my very special human being. --Adib H. Sabbagh