Alfred Samuel Andrawis

Alfred Samuel Andrawis, 69, of Alexandria, VA, departed this world on January 1, 2017. He was born in Khartoum, Sudan on July 9, 1947. He studied Electrical Engineering and graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Alexandria, Egypt. He then started working as a telecommunications engineer in Sudan. He was married to his sweetheart, Madeleine Andraos on February 26, 1978. In 1979 he came to the United States with his young family to pursue a Master’s degree from South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings, South Dakota. After graduation in 1982, he was offered and accepted a full time Instructor position in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Alfred then relocated in 1987, along with his family to Blacksburg, Virginia, to work on a Doctoral degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA Tech). After receiving his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, he returned in 1992 to Brookings, South Dakota, to accept an Assistant Professor position with SDSU. He then advanced through the ranks to a Tenured Full Professor position in 2000. His academic career of over 30 years was filled with personal achievements and scholarly activities that included securing funding grants, publishing peer-reviewed research papers, presenting at national and international conferences, developing and presenting technical workshops, establishing and upgrading laboratories, developing and teaching courses, and working with local and regional industries. He also conducted research in Fiber Optic Sensors and Lasers at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. His main accomplishments included but not limited to designing a fiber optic sensor for detecting dangerous leaks on space shuttles and establishing a teaching/research Fiber Optics Laboratory at SDSU. Alfred will also be remembered for planning and leading seven memorable study abroad trips to Egypt as part of a general University course that he offered. Numerous faculty and staff members, students, and community leaders studied and traveled to Egypt under his guidance. After retiring in 2013 as a Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering, Alfred and his wife moved to Alexandria, VA, where he became actively involved in God’s service at the newly established Saint Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church in Springfield, VA. Alfred was a kind, considerate, fun, smart, and wise man. He was a blessing to his family, friends, students, colleagues, and everyone who encountered him. He had a happy, healthy, and blessed life enjoying traveling, boating, fishing, and listening to his music until diagnosed with cancer in March 2016, which he fought and endured courageously until the last breath. Alfred is survived by his wife Madeleine, sons David Andrawis and Danny Andrawis, daughter Mary and her husband John Refila, and their child Sophia. He is also survived by his siblings Helen, Victor, Iris, and Suzan. He was preceded in death by his brothers Sam and Maurice and his parents Samuel and Anisa. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, January 5th, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. at Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, 11911 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA, 22030. Burial will follow at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032. The family will accept condolences at Saint Mark’s social hall following the burial.

Alfred Samuel Andrawis

July 9, 1947 - January 1, 2017