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October 7, 2019
Marianist Brother John Samaha died Sept. 27, 2019.
Born to Lebanese immigrant parents in San Francisco on Dec. 5, 1930, Brother John entered the Marianist Novitiate in Beacon, N.Y., in August 1948, professing first vows in 1949, and perpetual vows in 1953.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Marianist University of Dayton and a master’s from the Catholic University of America.
In his active apostolic years he taught in Catholic schools in California, Washington and Lebanon. He served in diocesan education offices in San Francisco and Oakland, and served on the formation team for the Marianists’ Pacific Province.
While in retirement at Villa St. Joseph at the Marianist Center in Cupertino, Brother John was a prolific writer for various Catholic periodicals, including Catholic San Francisco. He assisted in projects for The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton, the Mariological Society of America, and the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Brother Samaha was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos following a funeral Mass at the Marianist Center Oct. 1.
Memorials may be made to The Marianist Province of the U.S.; 4425 West Pine Blvd.; St. Louis, Missouri, 63108-2301.