Walid Jamil Pharaon

Walid Jamil Pharaon, a resident of Methuen, MA, passed away peacefully at home on July 1, 2023 surrounded by family at the age of 90.

Walid was born on March 1, 1933 in Damascus, Syria and was the second of 8 children born to Jamil Aref Pharaon and Shahira (Mahassni) Pharaon. After completing his early education in Jerusalem and the Ramallah Friends School in Palestine, he travelled to the United States. In 1955 he enrolled at Indiana Central University in Indianapolis, IN where he met the love of his life, Carol. He then transferred to LSU in Baton Rouge, LA where he graduated in 1960 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering.

Between 1960 and 1968 he worked throughout the US and Europe before being hired by Raytheon Middle East Systems in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as their construction manager. He retired from Raytheon in 1985 but was active in other business interests in Jeddah until the time of his passing.

Walid is survived by his wife Carol Ann (Krukemeier) Pharaon, son Basem Pharaon and daughter Laura (Pharaon) O’Rourke and three grandchildren: Dana O’Rourke, Sophia Pharaon and Brady O’Rourke. He is also survived by three sisters, Hana Pharaon, Amal Pharaon and Suha Pharaon and one brother Khaldoun Pharaon. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jamil and Shahira Pharaon, two brothers, Ussama and Farouk, one sister, Selwa, one son Jamil Walid Pharaon and one grandchild Trevor O’Rourke.

Walid enjoyed family, traveling extensively with his wife and close friends, spending hours at the computer indulging his love of world history and watching his favorite soccer team, the UK Liverpool Reds.

Walid’s Funeral Services are private. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Ave. Boston, MA 02215.

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