LIFE, FAMILY & PASSIONS: 

Zuhair was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1932 and immigrated in 1960 to the United States to further his education. He loved his Lebanese culture and enjoyed sharing all the best that it had to offer. He met and married Carolee in 1963 and soon after they began to travel the world together, ultimately visiting a whopping 47 countries and spanning 5 continents during their 57 years of marriage! He made numerous trips back to his homeland over the years and always shared fond stories of his time with family and days spent along the Mediterranean looking out at his beloved Pigeon Rocks, along Beirut’s picturesque seaside. 

He was a great conversationalist who loved to share stories and incite curiosity in others with his vast knowledge of the world. No matter the subject, you could always count on him to be ready with an interesting fact or story. He spoke several languages and never shied away from using his linguistic skills on any willing participant. He instilled in his two daughters, Suzanne and Anissa, and his two grandchildren, Jonathan and Olivia, the importance of seeking out the goodness in others and learning about the world around them. Whether it was family road trips spent camping across the USA, cruising the Alaskan passages, riding waves in Hawaii or the vast array of European adventures - a new trip was always on the horizon.

His passion for cycling was second only to his love for his family. He could frequently be seen pedaling down the bike path with his flag flying high. He was happiest spending the day with the sun shining bright, the wind at his back and the beach by his side. We often joked about how many miles he must have pedaled over the years… Any guesses? 

In addition to cycling, gardening was another passion he enjoyed. The fragrant scent of plumerias and tuberoses were among his favorite blooms bursting in the backyard. His fruit trees - and there were many over the years - (figs, loquats, grapes, apricots, plums, nectarines…) also brought him joy even though there was a constant battle with the squirrels over the harvest. As the years went by the garden evolved and a koi pond came and went bringing lots of fun times for the grandkids and a hobby for him to enjoy. He visited many lovely gardens both near and abroad and always appreciated the beauty of nature.

Ultimately, our father’s greatest gift was the love and care he gave so freely to us all. He was a loving and committed husband and father who led by example, and gave good advice. He was protective, yet willing to let us spread our wings and learn from our mistakes. He was proud of our accomplishments and never missed an opportunity to share them with others. He taught what it meant to have a strong work ethic and treat others with respect, to spend responsibly and save for a rainy day and to do what you love - but most importantly, he taught us to always put family first. For that and so much more, our family is truly grateful. I think it’s safe to say, for all who knew him, he left an impression on your heart and wisdom in your life in some way or another.


WORK:

Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”  Loving what you do every day is a gift not many people can say they had but Harry did. It was not just the work itself, but the lifelong friendships he made along the way that brought meaning and purpose to his life. He began his career in Aerospace working for Continental Airlines as an airline mechanic where he worked for 20 years.  He moved on next to work at Hughes Aircraft Space & Defense program on the combat  AH-64 Apache Helicopter project. Harry spent the last 14 years of his career working at TRW Inc. at Space Park in Redondo Beach, CA in the (DSP) Defense Support Program. He was part of a team responsible for building and launching defense satellites for NASA into space from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was proud and fulfilled by the work he did there and often said it didn’t feel like “work” because he loved what he was doing so much and the people he worked with. He retired happily at the age of 68 and enjoyed filling his days with his passions - family, friends, travel and cycling. His was a life well lived.

Zuhair “Harry” Shbaro was loved by many both near and far. He is survived by his wife Carolee, his two daughters, Suzanne and Anissa, his son-in-law Edward Obeda, his grandchildren, Jonathan and Olivia Obeda. His sister, niece, nephews and their extended families: Hayat Salem, Ysur Adra & family, Marwan Salem & family, (Marbella, Spain),  Bassam Salem & family, (Hong Kong, China), and Akram Salem & family, (Beirut, Lebanon). His brother and sister-in-law, Nizar and Hind Chebaro, and nieces, Malak Sukkar & family, Mirna Kotob & family, his nephew, Muhieddine Chebaro & family and Rania Chebaro who is lovingly  remembered, (Melbourne, Australia). Zuhair was also a great-uncle to his great-nephews, Nhd Adra & family, (Montreal, Canada), Alexandre Salem, (Geneva, Switzerland); his great-nieces, Ghenwa Adra & family, (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Chirine Bawab & family and Ghida Adra,  (Dubai, UAE), Ania Salem, (Zurich, Switzerland), Paloma Salem, (Marbella, Spain), and Yasmina & Lana Salem, (Beirut, Lebanon).  His brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Chuck and Nora Brittenham, (Stamford, CT) and his nieces Samantha Wyman, (Boston, MA), Marissa Brittenham, (Washington, DC), Elizabeth Minardi, (Audubon, NJ) and their families.