Maurice Jabbour Tebcherany, a "Cultural Renaissance Man", passed away peacefully on February 3, 2024, surrounded by his family and friends.

One month shy of his 94th birthday, this kind-hearted gentleman, who did not know a stranger, and was always smiling, died too soon.

Born March 3, 1930, raised and educated in Lebanon, he studied voice with a classmate and a world-renowned singer Sabah. He was a Master Mason, and Shriner and began his working career with the Ministry of Agriculture as an Entomologist and Botanist.

At the Ministry, he was tasked with safeguarding Lebanon's valuable wheat crop from parasites, and designing and developing the Presidential Palace Gardens, as well as gardens for other prominent government and private buildings. Forced to early retirement because of the Civil War, he moved to Syracuse, New York where he worked in agricultural research at Cornell University, focusing on viral diseases caused by native predators and parasites.

From Syracuse, Maurice moved to Ohio where he honed his skills in music and musical instruments.  He played the piano, and almost all stringed instruments, but especially the Oud, a Middle Eastern pear-shaped wood stringed instrument.

The stay in Ohio was short, and Maurice and his family moved back to Lebanon, however, the challenges in Lebanon proved to be too much and Maurice would soon accept a job with the French Government in the island state of Martinique. There he designed and built butterfly gardens, helping butterflies that were losing their natural habitats and contributing to pollination conservation.

While in France, he underwent lung cancer surgery, and returned to the United States, making Texas his home.

His love for music gave birth to a new career at the age of 61, as a Luthier at Brook Mays Music Company in Austin, quickly earning a reputation as an expert in the industry. When the economy softened, he moved to Dallas to work at Williams Music Company until he retired at the young age of 89.

As Will Rogers said, "When you're through learning, you're through." Never wanting to stop learning, Maurice continued working after his retirement doing small Luthier jobs for old customers and friends. He was living alone and independently at his home, reading, taking care of his orchids, and African violets, aquarium, and garden, playing the Oud, singing, watercolor painting, cooking, and baking until age 90 when he moved to his son Samer's home. There, Rita and Samer, along with their children and dog Bitsy, provided loving care for Maurice, while he continued sharing his gifts with family and friends until he passed.

Maurice loved life, always traveling with his Oud; a good whisky in hand, playing and singing at friend's homes and gatherings.

Wherever Maurice landed, he surrounded himself with the things he loved, creating his own environment of music, art, and gardens, but mostly, surrounding himself with those beautiful people who shared his love and passion for these blessings. They became his family.

More than music was the love he had for his family, Waddad blessed Maurice with four children that loved him dearly. He loved mentoring his son, Samer, singing with Bahia, traveling with Nahla, and baking with Hana. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren were his crown.

Maurice was the youngest of 7 & the last survivor.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Jabbour and Eugenie, all his siblings who predeceased him, brothers Fouad, Joseph and wife Samira, Eli and wife Nohad, Antoine and wife Nadia, Raymond and wife Jacqueline, and sister Sylvie. Also preceded in death are his nephew Gaby, and nieces Norma and Rima.

He is survived by his spouse Waddad, son Samer and wife Rita, their children Arial, Zachary, Elijah, and Liviona, daughter Hana and her husband Steve Storms and her children Christopher, Jonathan, and Hala Barnhardt, great grandchildren Caius and Midas Trejo and step-grandchildren Jacob, Blake and Brody Storms, Daughter Nahla, and husband Jason Forward, daughter Bahia and husband Reggie Davis and children Adaya, Maliya, Amari, and Destiny. Nephews and Nieces and their families, Parvine, Lina, Dina, Houda, Christine, Grace, Viviane, Elie, Gigi, George, and Joumana.

There were many nurses, physicians, and caregivers who supported and cared for Maurice over the years and the family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to all of them, especially to his personal care physician, Dr. Syed Shah.

We kindly invite family and friends to join us in prayer, seeking peace for his departed soul.

We kindly invite family and friends to join us in prayer, seeking peace for his departed soul.

WAKE AND TRISAGION PRAYER
Friday | February 9, 2024
7:00 - 9:00pm
Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home
740 S. Edmonds Lane | Lewisville, Texas 75067
972-436-4581
www.mulkeymasonlewisville.com

FUNERAL MASS
Saturday | February 10th, 2024
10:00am
Saints Constantine and Helen Antiochian Orthodox Church
Reverend Father David Lewis
1225 E. Rosemeade Parkway | Carrollton Texas 75007
214-350-2125
www.constantinehelen.com

The Church's Youtube Channel will be live streaming the service. Feel free to tune in by visiting the channel.
@sts.constantineandhelenort6531
https://www.youtube.com/@sts.constantineandhelenort6531/streams

PALLBEARERS FOR THE SERVICE
Zachary Tebcherany, Elijah Tebcherany, Justin Nassour, Blake Storms, Jason Najm, Joseph Najm,
Christopher Barnhardt, Jonathan Barnhardt

MERCY MEAL
The Tebcherany Family invites you to join them for a Mercy Meal in the Church Hall, immediately following the Mass.

INTERMENT
1:45PM
Rolling Oaks Memorial Center
400 S. Freeport Parkway | Coppell, Texas 75019
972-562-5146
www.rollingoaksmemorialcenter.com

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to https://www.constantinehelen.com .