Francis Dwight Jabara

Jabara, Francis Dwight, 90, of Wichita, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2015, at Larksfield Health Care Center. Visitation with the family will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday, July 27, 2015, at Downing & Lahey Mortuary East. Trisagion and Funeral Service will be at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral. Burial Service will be at Old Mission on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. Fran was born October 13, 1924, in Cambridge, Kansas, the son of Farris and Hanna (Horani) Jabara. Theirs was a large and extraordinarily close Lebanese family, consisting of sons, Harold, Walter, Fran, Edward, and Everett, and daughters, Elsie (Nimrod), Helen (Galloway), and twins Donna (Baker), and Duana (Starks). In 1929, the family moved to Burden, Kansas, where Farris and Hanna opened a general store and where Fran first began his career in business at the age of eight years old, carrying groceries for customers and assisting at the family store. Following graduation from Burden High School, Fran enlisted in the Army and it was a source of great pride to his family that four of the Jabara sons served their country during the World War II conflict. During his Army service, Fran was selected for training at the University of North Dakota, and then was stationed in Hawaii. After being honorably discharged, Fran earned his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma A & M in 1946, where he started his own photography business and helped establish the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He completed his graduate studies at Northwestern University, and earned his CPA. Fran married the love of his life, Geraldine "Geri" Ablah on December 30, 1956 in Wichita, Kansas. Together they established an enduring legacy of a strong marriage, a cherished family, and a history of compassionate giving that would span nearly six decades. Fran and Geri were blessed with three children, Leesa, Lori (Simmons) and Harvey, and they later welcomed a daughter-in-law, Missy Hettich Jabara, a son-in-law, Chad Simmons, and three grandsons who were the light of Fran's life, Jaxon Jabara, Jensen Jabara and Francis Elliott Simmons. Survived by wife, Geri; children, Leesa Jabara of Alexandria, VA, Lori Simmons(Chad) of Leawood, KS, Harvey Jabara (Missy) of Palm Desert, CA, sisters; Helen Galloway of Wichita, KS, Duana Starks of Wichita, KS. Preceded in death by parents, Hanna and Farris Jabara; siblings, Harold(Gerry), Elsie Nimrod, Walter Kay, Edward, Everett and Donna Baker. Fran joined the faculty of Wichita University in 1949, a career that would span 40 years. He was appointed Distinguished Professor in 1971, and served as Dean of the College of Business Administration for seven years. He founded one of the first Centers for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State in 1977, a program that became internationally recognized as one of the finest and most comprehensive in the nation. He co-founded the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs (ACE), the largest national organization for collegiate students interested in entrepreneurship with members in all fifty states and twenty foreign countries. Fran was instrumental in assisting other universities in creating entrepreneurship programs, including Cornell University, University of Calgary, University of Notre Dame, Arizona State University, St. Thomas University, Marquette University and the Monterey Institute of Technology in Mexico. After his resignation from Wichita State in 1989, Fran founded Jabara Ventures Group, a private equity and investment company, as well as the Jabara Family Foundation and the Professor Fran and Geri Jabara Fund. He established numerous scholarships, including the prestigious Wichita State University Fran Jabara Scholarship, as well as accounting and entrepreneurship scholarships at Oklahoma State University, and the Fran Jabara Leadership Awards, conferred annually by Central Christian College, Baker University, Tabor College, Sterling College, Barclay College, Southwestern College, Kansas Wesleyan University and Benedictine College. Fran served on numerous boards, including Lear Jet, AFG Industries, Midwest Grain Products, Inc., National Pizza Company, Commerce Bank, Union National Bank, Newman University, Ameriban, Benedictine College, Eby Construction Company, Kansas Surgical & Recovery Center, Sheplers, Butler Community College and the University of North Dakota. Fran was honored by his lifelong friendship and business association with both William Lear and R.D. Hubbard. He co-founded Leisure Hotels Group with Richard Smith and Steve Olson. In 1991, he founded Project H.O.P.E. + E, a program that hosted VEdesigned to communicate ingredients of success through entrepreneurship to minority fifth graders. Fran provided advice and assistance to literally thousands of individuals and emerging companies from his east side Jabara Ventures Group office, all without any compensation. A recognized national leader in entrepreneurship, he was awarded the prestigious Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education and the George Washington Honor Medal by the Freedoms Foundation. Fran was the chairman of the Kansas delegation to the 1986 White House Conference on Small Business. In 1991, he was the recipient of the Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch, Inc. Magazine Award for Entrepreneur of the Year. In 1996, Wichita State University dedicated Jabara Hall, and that same year Fran was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Oklahoma State University. He was a 1997 Laureate for the Wichita Business Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was awarded the Cardinal Newman Medal from Newman University. In 2001, he was awarded the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award by the College of Business Administration at Wichita State University. Wichita State University awarded the President's Medal to Fran in the Fall of 2002. In 2003, the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce named Fran Uncommon Citizen. The U.S. Small Business Administration selected Fran as 2003 Financial Services Advocate of the Year. On May 19, 2003, Fran was awarded the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of North Dakota. Fran was inducted into the Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame in February of 2005. Fran was named Small Business Person of the year by the SBCA in 2006. In 2007, Fran was the recipient of the Kansas Business Hall of Fame Award and the Pioneer Award from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization. In 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Newman University. The Wichita Rotary Charitable Fund established the Fran D. Jabara Society in his honor in April of 2015. Fran often said in jest that he was a teacher for 40 years, a student for 40 years and a businessman for 40 years, and that made him at least 120 years old. His humor belied the fact that he was a lifelong learner, wasn't afraid to try new things or entertain new ideas, and had a keen insight into people and the world around him. The family wishes to thank the staff of Larksfield for the kind care and gentle comfort they provided to Fran during the difficult physical challenges he faced over the past year. Memorials have been established with St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral, 7515 East 13th Street North, Wichita, KS 67206 and the Professor Fran Jabara Endowment Scholarship Fund, c/o Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount Street, Wichita, KS 67260. Fran's life was lived in honor of God, his family, and his country, and at its core, the only real business of his life was the welfare of his fellow man. He leaves behind a family well-loved and countless grateful recipients of his advice, encouragement and generosity. He was an uncommon man with a common touch, a friend to many who will be sorely missed, and whose name will always be synonymous with the pursuit of excellence and possibilities. Downing & Lahey Mortuary East. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com