Girgis Istassy Girgis

1933 - 2024

Girgis Girgis

March 8, 1933 - June 6, 2024

Aventura, Florida - Girgis Istassy Girgis who passed away on June 6, 2024, was born on March 8, 1933, was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life. He was born in Tanta Egypt and lost his father when he was only 3 years of age. He finished accounting school at age 17 and was hired by Barclays Bank in upper Egypt. He sent his paycheck home each month to his mom to support her and his brothers. At age 27 he married Ragaa Riad and had 2 children, Ihab and Iman. Despite his hard work at the bank he was told there would be no leadership position as a Christian. He recognized there was no future for his young children in Egypt and sought to immigrate. In 1969 he and his wife Ragaa courageously left all that they knew and immigrated to the United States. In the U.S. he quickly found a job at Credit Suisse on Wall Street as a Typist. Remarkably in only three years he went from typist to Chief of Accounting due to his extraordinary talent with numbers. Before there were computers he was referred to as the computer of the bank and Wall Street banks were vying for his services. He went on to help countless people come to the U.S. from Egypt, helping others flee the persecution of Coptic Christians. For the elderly who could not come to the U.S. he raised funds to help them in their later years. He was a servant to all who asked for his help. He was the driving force in the founding of the first Coptic Orthodox Church on Staten Island in 1982. His personality was one of optimism, warmth and humor. He would entertain family and friends with his comedy for hours, until they would beg him to stop because their sides were hurting from laughing so hard and for so long. He was a man of great moral character and clarity. He had no difficulty discerning right from wrong and lived a life of virtue. His passing means so much to so many. He will be joining his wife in heaven with the wedding band still on his finger which he refused to remove in the 14 years since her passing. He is survived by his son Ihab Girgis, husband of Lisa Gualberti-Girgis, daughter Iman Shenoda, wife of Wagdy Shenoda, and grandchildren Mary Shenoda Soliman, Ian Girgis and Abby Girgis.

The wake will be at Saint Mina's Coptic Orthodox Church, 132 NJ-34, Holmdel, NJ, on Monday June 10th at 7 pm. Funeral services will also be at Saint Mina's Coptic Orthodox Church on Tuesday morning, June 11th at 9:30 am.