ROBERT J. SAAH

SAAH ROBERT JOSEPH SAAH (Age 78) Robert Joseph Saah, age 78, died at his home in Rockville on November 17, 2012. He was born in Washington, DC to the late Joseph and Nabiha Saah. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Jeane Athena Saah, his children, Christopher Saah and his wife, Allyn, Theresa Thompson and her husband Gary, and Christina Abed and her husband Samer, and five grandchildren, Anna Saah, Andrew Saah, Emily Thompson, Logan Abed, and Clara Thompson. He is also survived by his siblings, George Saah, Amelia Saah, Diana Fisher, and Joseph Saah, Jr. as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Bob graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring and attended the Corcoran School of Art in Washington. His community service included the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department and the Jaycees, where he helped promote the use of seat belts and the distribution of polio vaccines in the early 60s, as well as the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. He also served as president of the Rockville Civitan club where he was involved for many years and forged many lifelong friendships. He spent most of his working years at Saah Furniture Manufacturers, the company his father founded in 1945, and of which he became president following his father's death in 1966. The company built and retailed unfinished solid wood furniture and fixtures and boasted clientele which included the White House, various Washington museums and galleries, as well as distinguished retailers like Woodward and Lothrop. Bob enjoyed the design and sales aspects of the business, using his art schooling and affable personality to create custom furniture for his clients. In his later years, he also owned and operated along with his wife, son-in-law, Sam and daughter, Tina, Mike's Sub shop, fulfilling his life-long ambition of being a restaurateur. Bob's faith in Jesus Christ was a source of peace and strength to him and he would often comment that he could not understand how a person could see the beauty of the sunset and not believe in God. His love of children, his kindness to strangers, and his desire to put a smile on the face of anyone he met are the fruit of his faith that many remember him for. The family will receive friends on Sunday, November 25 at Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 10620 River Road, Potomac, MD 20854 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 5 p.m., followed by a meal of mercy and celebration of his life at the church. He will be buried at 11 a.m. Monday, November 26, at Parklawn Cemetery in Rockville. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Children's Hospital Foundation, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010, where he was hospitalized as a child with polio.