Abdul-Karim Rafeq

Professor Abdul-Karim Rafeq, of Watertown MA passed away on June 8th, 2024 at the age of 93 surrounded by his loving family.

Abdul-Karim was born on April 21st, 1931, in Idlib, Syria, to Samaan and Zahia Rafeq. He moved to Aleppo as a teenager to continue his middle and high school studies at the American College. At 18, he moved to Damascus to study history at Damascus University then moved to London in 1958 to complete his Ph.D. in History with emphasis on modern arab history as it relates to the Ottoman Empire period at the University of London.

He returned to Syria in 1963 and was appointed as faculty in the History Department at Damascus University where he taught for decades and rose up the academic rank to tenured Professor and head of Department. He was a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago and UCLA. He spent the last 21 years of his professional career as the William and Annie Bickers Professor of Arab Middle Eastern Studies at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Through his passion and dedication to his work, he became a world-renowned scholar in his field. He mentored and educated multiple generations leaving a profound impact on their lives and work. He pioneered a novel method of studying the societal and economic effects of the Ottoman era on the Arab society which resulted in multiple published books and articles in Arabic, French and English. He retired in 2011 at the age of 80, however his passion and creative work never ceased.

Abdul-Karim married his wife Therese Rafeq (Née Laktineh) in Damascus in 1975 and together they raised their four children, Dr. Samaan, Dr. Zahi, Zahia and Dr. Samir. He is a loving father-in-law to Lara and Rachel and a loving grandfather to his four grandchildren, Elias Nicholas, Sophia Mary, Marcus Karim and Jude Lucas. He was the patriarch of the family to his many nieces and nephews.

There are no words to describe the love and respect that Abdul-Karim holds from everyone who had known him. He will be dearly missed by all his family and friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Abdul-Karim’s services on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, beginning with a Funeral Service at 11:30 am at Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Cathedral located at 7 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132.

Following the Funeral Service, Abdul-Karim will be laid to rest at Mt. Benedict Cemetery in West Roxbury.

Visiting hours will be held LATER THAT DAY , Wednesday June 12, 2024, from 5-8 p.m. at the Kfoury Keefe Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you instead make a donation to the Arts and Science Annual Fund at the College of William and Mary in memory of Professor Abdul-Karim Rafeq (https://give.wm.edu/?a=b38520f6-112d-4b86-ae32-d1529f381ad9) Please see the link below under donations.

Again, please note that the Visitation will be held on WEDNESDAY EVENING .

The Arts and Science Annual Fund at the College of William and Mary in memory of Professor Rafeq
Web: https://give.wm.edu/?a=b38520f6-112d-4b86-ae32-d1529f381ad9