Albert J Mansour, Sr

Albert J. Mansour, Sr. 95, of Youngstown, died Wednesday July 7, 2021. He was born Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926, one of nine children. He was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 61 years, Marie (Haddad) Mansour, his parents Nasif and Victoria, siblings Mrs. Clara Cervone, Mrs. Sarah Kovall, George Mansour, Sr., Mrs. Mary Catanzarite, Eugene (Pudgie) Mansour, Edward Mansour, Sr., Mrs. Shirley Cutrer; and his darling granddaughter Tayler Hudak of California. He leaves his beloved sister Sandra Mansour of Youngstown.

In September of 1954, Al married Marie, the love of his life, and together they raised their six children: Albert Jr., of Columbus; Gina Hudak of California; John (Liz) of South Carolina; Betsy Nealon (Michael) of Tennessee; Theresa of Youngstown; and Judith Mansour (Tom Suhadolnik) of Cleveland. He delighted in being a grandfather and great grandfather and loved inheriting the moniker Jid, (Grandpa). Most everyone was encouraged to call him Jid. He dearly loved his many nieces and nephews, and he delighted in their friendship and confidences. It was his great gift to adopt those he loved as honorary siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Al’s capacity to love, laugh, and celebrate in the joy of others was boundless.

Al was a Seaman 1st Class on the USS Birmingham CL-62 from 1942-1944, distinguished for witness and report of the raising of the US flag on Iwo Jima from Okinawa. After his service in WWII, Al went on to work in the family business, remembered by many -- Fifth Avenue Pizza, later forming Aluma Clean Company – a home improvements business, and Mansour & Associates, after studying for his Hearing Aid Specialist and Fitter’s License at Kent State University. Al served on, then chaired the Ohio Licensing Board of Hearing Aid Specialists.

Al was a devoted parishioner of St. Columba Cathedral, where he began his service as an altar boy at age 8, and completed his service as head usher at age 93. True to his given name, Abdullah, servant of God, Al received the Pro Ecclisia et Pontifice Papal Award in 1999 for distinguished service, faith, and deeds. His gift of service found a home when Al met Danny Thomas in 1957 during the initial fund raising to build St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. From that moment, the work of ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) and St. Jude became Al’s life’s work. He worked tirelessly to organize, recruit, and fund raise so that “No child should die in the dawn of life.”

There was no opportunity he did not leverage to gain donor support to ALSAC/St. Jude. He hosted countless radiothons, telethons, and galas, and recruited every major airline, hotel, and refuse disposal company in Northeast Ohio to save used aluminum cans for recycling to donate the proceeds to St. Jude. His campaign “Cans for Kids” reached everyone who knew him.  Al served on the ALSAC Board of Directors and the National PR Committee.

Having lived in service, Al was called home to our Savior Jesus Christ, joining his cherished wife, so that he might take the rest he so richly deserved.

Friends may call from 1:00-5:00pm, Sunday, July 11, 2021 at Shriver- Allison- Courtley -Weller-King Funeral Home: 292 Madison Avenue, Youngstown, OH. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Columba Cathedral at 10:00am Monday, July 12th.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).

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