Obituary of Michael Hamid

Dr. Michael Hamid, at the age of 83, passed away on Monday, December 18, 2017, at his retirement community in Charlotte, North Carolina. He embodied the American dream. He was born on June 7, 1934, in Dannaba, Jordan, to the name Mahmood Hamid. His father, Abdel-Qader Hamid, was a teacher, and his loving mother, Fatimah Khalil, raised Mahmood and his 7 siblings. He worked extremely hard as a young man and would later tell his children how he would go to school with only a hard boiled egg in his bag for lunch. This was only after he shook the scorpions out of his shoes before his 5 mile walk to school. He excelled in school as an adolescent, and by the faith and trust his parents had in him, he was given the rare opportunity to study electrical engineering in North America. He came with nothing except his dreams, grit, and resilience. He took full advantage of every opportunity and was able to broaden his education with experiences in Germany, Sweden, and Cuba. He later completed his PhD in electrical engineering at the highly esteemed McGill University in Montreal. He then met the love of his life- Khetam Dahleh. They wed on September 1,1973, and went on a two month honeymoon touring the most romantic cities in Europe. They made a home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dr. Hamid was appointed professorship at the University of Manitoba. He and Khetam had 4 children during their 20 years in Canada. His fondest memories were the extravagant summer road trips they would take as a family touring North America. He felt his children would have more opportunities in the United States, so in 1990, he moved his family to Alabama. It was a big change in many ways, but ultimately it was a successful transition. He finished his career at the University of South Alabama and retired in 2006 only after many professional accomplishments including being recognized as "Professor of the Year" just prior to his retirement. At this stage of life, he and his wife enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren. They moved to Memphis and later to Atlanta. In 2016, his wife Khetam was diagnosed with lung cancer, and after a long and brave struggle, she passed away in October of 2017. They are survived by their four grateful children. Rumsey Hamid and his wife Jasmine live in Los Angeles where he works as a chemical engineer. They are expecting their first child, a baby girl, in February. Sam Hamid and his spouse Pete live in Philadelphia where he is a practicing physician. They have a beautiful little girl Harper (1). Nady Hamid and his wife Mary live in Charlotte. They are both physicians and have 3 children: Dean (8), Zach (7), and Sara (4). And finally, Reema Hamid Dbouk and her husband Nader live in Atlanta. They are also both physicians and have 3 beautiful children: Maya (6), Adam (4), and newborn Jenna. His four children and their families are all very grateful for the unwavering love and devotion their parents provided for them. Funeral services took place in Atlanta and were limited to just close family.