Khalil Gabriel Helou

Khalil Gabriel Helou passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026. He was born Aug. 26, 1931, in Mechta-al-Helou, Syria. After British-Presbyterian schooling, an Oxford and Cambridge School Certificate, and a stint working at VW of Beruit, Lebanon, in the mid-1950s he followed a dream to be an automotive engineer in the world’s car capital of Detroit. Like many immigrants, he first found his way to where other extended family members had settled earlier, and for him that was El Paso, Texas. Shortly thereafter, he arrived in Michigan and quickly found work in parts inspection at a Chrysler Corp. plant, and he enrolled in college at Eastern Michigan University. Engineering classes gave way to education and social science courses that captured his interest and intellect more. In his time at EMU, his impeccable English language skills and boundless generosity made him a magnet for other international students, and he would readily help fix a car, find a job, fill a class schedule and encourage their “American Dream.” He was smitten with an American student, Lois Ann Hibbard, and the two married in Washtenaw County in 1959. He did his student teaching at Dondero High School in Royal Oak, Mich., notable only in that he cherished continually meeting people who had attended school there, and making a small-world connection time and again.

Khalil would go on to earn an M.A. degree in education and social science from EMU and a master’s in international relations at University of Pittsburgh, as well as earning a fellowship and completing coursework for a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Library Studies at the University of London. In a distinguished career revolving around education, scholarship and public service, he contributed to volumes of Oxford-English-Arabic dictionaries, worked as a bibliographic reference librarian at the Library of Congress, and served as a U.S. State Department interpreter in Arabic, English and French. Additionally, he performed as a simultaneous interpreter for the public affairs television program, “Experts Answer,” with the International Communication Agency, and periodically taught summer courses at the University of Michigan and Princeton University. Returning to Michigan, closer to Lois’ roots, he worked as a librarian at Central Michigan University, also hosting a “To Your Health” public affairs program on the local PBS affiliate. He went on to teach English composition at Kirtland Community College, finding amusement with students that this red-headed man with a curious accent was teaching Americans their own language. Poignantly, his last public lecture in semi-retirement some 30 years ago was, “Prospects for a Peace and Dialogue Between Islam and Christendom.”

Khalil was preceded in death by his treasured wife of 66 years, Lois in 2025, brother Ibrahim, and sisters Aida and Adele. He is survived by sisters Najla (Brasilia, Brazil) and Amal (Beirut, Lebanon), and his brother-in-law Hollis Hibbard of Byron, Mich. He is also survived by sons B. Gabriel (Audrey) of Royal Oak, Mich., Leslie (Stephanie Young-Helou) of Pendleton, Ind., and daughter Lora (Tim Hoepfner) of Cincinnati, Ohio. Also surviving are grandchildren Christan (Brock) Thomas, of Asheville, N.C., Collin of Chicago, and Spencer of Pendleton, Ind.

Virtually anyone who played tennis in Houghton Lake knew Khalil. He co-founded a local tennis league and was a fixture on the courts all around the area, as well as Zephyrhills, Fla., where he and Lois wintered for many years. A doubles specialist, he was valued for his etiquette, civility, fairness, and the love of a game well played, win or lose – pretty much the way he lived off the court as well.  He was fascinated by the recent phenomenon of pickleball, although his playing days were behind him.

Exceptional skill and charisma don’t automatically translate to acceptance and advancement, and Khalil persevered down a path that was anything but easy. In a life that didn’t turn out as he would have scripted, he occasionally mused about what it might have been like had he returned to Mechta-al-Helou, the eldest son of a family in a village that carried their name. Or that he could have done more for his children in his adopted homeland. Compassion, curiosity, generosity, character, resilience, principle, respect, wit – Khalil and Lois bestowed on them extraordinary riches.

Khalil loved America, was proud to be an American citizen, and never lost optimism in its ideals and the humanity and goodness of its people. If a reader here is inspired to travel someplace new, experience an unfamiliar culture, learn more about some subject, dig in to a spirited debate, share a meaningful story, revel a funny coincidence, or hit a ball with strangers and become fast friends, Khalil would take tremendous satisfaction. A celebration of life for Khalil and Lois only seems in order for such a gregarious storyteller and a connoisseur of good company, good food and good drink – with a time and date yet to be determined. Inshallah, God willing, as Khalil would say. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to unicef.org.

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