Marie Antoinette Khoury

Marie Antoinette Khoury

Born December 18, 1921. Passed May 7, 2010

Marie was a true San Francisco girl, born and raised. She grew up during the Depression, the youngest child of Maria and Roger Abras. Her two older brothers were Harry and Jack Abras. Marie was a graduate of Galileo High School class of 1938.

Mom married Philip Khoury in 1940 and they were happily married for 35 years before his passing in 1975. She is survived by her daughter Chris, daughter Linda, her granddaughter, Jeannie and her husband Dennis, their children, Jessica, Jack, Emily, Eric and Jennifer, and her grandson, Phil, his wife Lisa, their children Alexandra, Natalie, Anastasia and Nicholas. Linda's husband, Chuck, passed in 2006 and Mom had considered him her son.

Over her 88 years, Mom worked hard and loved greatly. She worked as an office manager for several companies, a law office and a counseling center. Everyone she worked with always claimed she taught them all they knew, and were so grateful for her intelligence, organization and great wit.

Mom fulfilled a lifelong desire to see the world, traveling to Europe many times, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Alaska, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Australia, and her favorite, Tahiti. We always thought she was probably a Tahitian princess in a past life.

She was a great devotee of the arts, loving music, theater and dance very much. For years she treated the family to season tickets to the Civic Light Opera in SF, and she always remarked how thrilled she was to have seen her favorites such as Richard Burton, Carol Channing, Gordon McRae and Yul Brunner.

Mom was an avid reader and loved her books. She always had one going and would enjoy talking about the plot and characters. She always had music playing at her home, and it filled her with joy. She passed that love of music down to her daughters who have performed in shows and operas as a singer and pianist. She was so proud to see us up on stage over the years, never missing a performance.

She also loved politics, reveled in the last election, and watched her favorites on MSNBC every night. She waited for the Olympics every two years, and I am so grateful she was able to watch them again in February.

Mom loved her life, her family and friends, her peace of mind and intelligence, her sense of humor. She was the wisest person in our lives and we shall truly miss her.

At the end, she was ready to leave her 88-year-old body and go on to her new adventure, seeing all her departed family and friends, and watching over us. The passing was very peaceful and quiet, just the way she wanted. To paraphrase her favorite singer, Frank Sinatra, she did it her way.

Per her request, there will be no funeral or memorial service. The family and friends will gather for a good dinner, a few cocktails and lots of laughs. If anyone wishes to make a donation in her name, two choices she would approve of are the Humane Society or St. Jude's Children's Hospital.