Makram Melek Girgis

Makram (“Mak”) Melek Girgis (82 years old) of Bradley, Illinois passed away November 21, 2016. Mak was born April 21, 1933 in Minya, Egypt. The son of Melek and Matilda Girgis, Mak was the oldest son of six children (an older sister, Mary, and younger brothers Monire, Maher and Momtaz & sisters Nargis and Marcelle). During his elementary school and high school years he attended private Christian schools managed by 2nd Coptic Evangelical Church in Minya and then studied at Cairo University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural sciences in 1955. He was then employed as a research scientist at the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Cairo University where he specialized in sugar cane research. On August 22, 1960 he married Hetty Fouad El Daief. Mak and his family emmigrated to the USA in June 1969. He started from scratch, working various odd jobs which included janitorial work and lawn care in Kankakee. At one point he was working three jobs trying to support his family. In 1970 he obtained an entry level position at Pentex (which was later sold to the Bayer Corporation) as an operator in protein fractionation. While working at Bayer he continued his studies in chemistry at Kankakee Community College and Governors State University and obtained a Master of Arts degree in 1985. At Bayer he was successively promoted. First, to the Quality Control department and eventually promoted to a Senior Research Scientist. In his tenure at Bayer he was part of a team of researchers developed several patens. His work at Bayer earned him two Science and Technology Awards (“Producing High Purity Thrombin” and “Isolation and Purification of Transferrin from Bovine Serum by Sequential Cation and Anion Exchange Chromatographies.”). He retired from Bayer Corporation in 1998 and started his own consulting firm (“Makram Enterprises, Inc.”). He consulted with biotechnology companies regarding new methods in protein fractionation. His consulting included traveling to companies in France, England and Australia. He was an active member of Bradley Church of the Nazarene. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Mary and Marcelle, and brothers Monir and Maher. He is survived by his wife, Hetty of Bradley, and their three children; Dr. Hany Girgis and Mona Mason of Kankakee, Mary and Dan Coughlan of Naperville and two grandchildren Sean and Lexi Coughlan. He is also survived by his brother Momtaz and sister Nargis of Minya, Egypt and his Sister-in-law Dr. Mimi Melek, Niece Mariam Maher and nephews Ramez Maher and Michael Maher of Cairo, Egypt, and Magid of Cyprus. Also surviving are a host of in-laws in the Kankakee area; brother and sister-in-law Dr. Felix and Dr. Fouzia El Daief of Kankakee, niece Wendy Ayoub of Bradley, niece Jeanette, her husband David Ibrahim of Bourbonnais, and their daughter Rebecca and husband James Dickey of Washington D.C., nephew Fareed and his wife Annette Ayoub of Farmington New Mexico, their son Nathaniel of Bristol, Connecticut, daughter Amanda of Glasgow, Scotland, daughter Chrissy of Farmington, New Mexico, and son, Tony Carr and his wife, Angi Dean-Carr of Chicago. Visitation will be on Friday, November 25, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Schreffler Funeral Homes, Bourbonnais Chapel. Mak’s funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Bradley Church of the Nazarene. Burial will immediately follow at All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Bourbonnais. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Bradley Church of the Nazarene.

Makram Melek Girgis

April 21, 1933 - November 21, 2016

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Makram Melek Girgis

April 21, 1933 - November 21, 2016

365 Days of Grief Support

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About Us

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