Francis Beshara Assaf

Francis Beshara Assaf, a devoted husband and father, renowned scholar, dedicated educator, and Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of French at the University of Georgia, passed away on July 31, 2026, at the age of 81. Born on July 26, 1945, Francis spent his youth in the Cairo suburb of Heliopolis before completing his studies in France and working in Beirut. He later moved to California, where he worked in the insurance industry before pursuing advanced degrees at the University of California, Berkeley.

Arriving at the University of Georgia in 1981, Francis became the longest-serving faculty member in the Department of Romance Languages. For over three decades, he introduced generations of students to the joys of French language and culture, specializing in seventeenth and eighteenth-century French literature. His intellectual curiosity was vast; in addition to his expertise in the French "Grand Siècle," he taught First-Year Odyssey seminars on the civilization of ancient Egypt.

Francis was a pillar of the international academic community. In 1982, he founded the Society for Interdisciplinary French Seventeenth-Century Studies (SE17), which grew from a regional group into a global society. He served for many years as its chief executive and as the editor of its peer-reviewed journal, Cahiers du dix-septième. His prolific research included hundreds of articles and several landmark books, such as Lesage et le picaresque (1983), La mort du roi: une thanatographie de Louis XIV (1999), and Quand les rois meurent (2018). In 2019, his colleagues in SE17 established the Francis Assaf Graduate Student Fund in his honor to support the next generation of scholars in his field.

In recognition of his tireless promotion of French culture, the French government awarded him the medal of Chevalier (2002) and later Officier (2007) dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques. Colleagues and students remember him as a brilliant and helpful mentor who was instrumental in bringing the Romance languages department into the computer age.

Francis was married for 55 years to his beloved wife, Sandra Assaf, who preceded him in death in November 2025. He is survived by his brother, Pierre Assaf; his son, Alain Assaf, and daughter-in-law, Moneera Durban; and his two grandsons, Alexander and Aaron Durban-Assaf, who were the pride of his life. His family, friends, and the countless students he inspired will forever feel the void left by his departure.

Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, East, Athens, GA is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com