Dr. Halim G. Habib, Ob/Gyn, delivered from the heart, an American dream.
He drew a last peaceful breath in the caring surrounds of the Pond Home in Wrentham with his daughter Susan by his side, which was in stark contrast to the many hundreds of not-so-peaceful first breaths that he helped deliver into this world over more than three decades as an obstetrician and gynecologist practicing in the Boston area.
Born December 8, 1921 of poor, but community-rich immigrant parents on Warren Avenue in the South End, he became the embodiment of the American Dream. To his three siblings, he was the bookworm who passed on social gatherings to get top grades at Boston Latin Highschool, earning him a William Cardinal O'Connell scholarship to Boston College. His dream of becoming a doctor had him continue on to Tufts University School of Medicine. Following his graduation in 1946 he was on active
duty for three years as a Medical Officer for the U.S. Naval Reserves on the American Mission for Aid to Turkey. Upon returning to Boston, he did residencies at Carney Hospital before launching a 35 year relationship with St Margaret's Hospital in Dorchester.
That same year he met Yvonne Kassar of Brooklyn, New York at a church-related convention being held at Wentworth-by-the-Sea in New Hampshire. At first glimpse of the statuesque beauty, he declared to his friend that she was "the one" and six months after teaching her how to tackle a lobster, they were married in a double wedding ceremony with her sister Laurice on December 7, 1952.
His practice grew the "old-fashioned way" as a result of his being an active member of his community. He was involved with the Holy Name parish in West Roxbury where his four daughters were schooled, as well as the Annunciation Cathedral, which like so many of its Melkite Catholic parishioners had moved from the South End to the outskirts of Metropolitan Boston. The daughters claim that over the years, they have
encountered countless claims of "He delivered my children, I love him!" to "He delivered me!" One of his favorite stories was of delivering the baby of a husband and wife, both of whom he had delivered 25 years earlier.
The other love of his life was St Jude Children's Research Hospital. The world-class pediatric cancer research institution was founded in 1962 by late entertainer Danny Thomas as a way of saying "thank you" to St Jude for helping him find his way in life at a time that he was virtually jobless. But the job of raising funds to keep the hospital in operation was a daunting task. So he went across the country soliciting fellow first and second-generation Americans of middle eastern heritage
to help him raise funds as a way of giving back to this country. Although consumed with a growing practice and a young family, Dr. Habib took up the cause and joined the Board of Directors in 1964 and remained on the Board as an Emeritus member, a role, and a cause that he cherished to the end.
His true legacy is probably summed up best by Marlo Thomas, Danny's daughter and National Outreach Director for St Jude when she told eldest daughter Judy Habib, "I never met a kinder, gentler man with a bigger heart than your father."
Dr Habib leaves his four daughters, Judy, Jackie, Susan and Louise, their husbands and children, his brother Joe and family, his late wife Yvonne's family, his nieces and nephews, a lifetime of close friends, and his many hundreds of patients whose children he helped to deliver, and indeed some of their children as well... He leaves them with a legacy of kindness, compassion, service and love. His favorite expression was "Be sweet."
Halim's Funeral Service was held November 14, 2009 at Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Cathedral 7 V.F.W. Parkway West Roxbury, MA 02132.
Please make contributions in Halim’s memory to the Cathedral or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.
Interment Mt. Benedict Cemetery, West Roxbury.