Aziz Farid Abdul-Karim, 73; Beirut-born Petroleum Chemist

Burial services will be held today for Aziz Farid Abdul-Karim, an internationally known specialist in petroleum chemistry who died Friday. He was 73.

Abdul-Karim, a longtime resident of El Cajon, was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the American University of Beirut, a doctoral degree from Purdue University, and did post-doctoral work at UCLA and the University of Arizona, Goodbody Mortuary manager Howard Deaver said.

Abdul-Karim held various posts in both Lebanese and American organizations, among them the past presidency of the San Diego chapter of the American-Lebanese League and the Lebanese Assn. for the Advancement of Science, his son Richard said.

Abdul-Karim was a recipient of Lebanon’s highest citizen’s award, the Order of the Cedars, in 1956 and the author of numerous books in his field.

Through the years he served as a visiting professor at prominent universities, such as Cornell, Purdue, UCLA and the University of Arizona, his son said.

In 1970 the Saudi Arabian government called him in as an expert to assist in the establishment of the University of Petroleum and Minerals there.

He was also named a member of a delegation appointed by the Jordan government to study educational standards and needs in that country.

He is survived by his wife, Noha; sons Fred, Richard, Ramzi and Naji, all of El Cajon; sisters Evelyn Farid Abdul-Karim of Los Angeles and Anise Farid Abdul-Karim of Cleveland, and a brother, Karim Farid Abdul-Karim of Lebanon.

Burial will be at 10 a.m. today in Greenwood Memorial Park.