Bio: Mrs. Afifa Karam John; Syria, then Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Date: 1999-2000





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Mrs. Afifa Karam John, who died July 28, 1924, was for many years a resident
of Shreveport.  She was a native of Syria, was internationally known as a
Syrian writer, and she was moved by an intense spirit of love for humanity and
philanthropy, the expression of which earned her a place of peculiar esteem in
Shreveport.

She was born in Syria July 22, 1883, and her beautiful life came to a close at
the age of forty-one.  Her parents, Joseph Sallas and Frocenia (Sharbels)
John, were natives of Syria.  She was reared in Syria and was there married to
K. John, and as young married people they came to America.  Mr. John for a
number of years has been well known as a merchant and philanthropist at
Shreveport.  Mrs. John was a very ardent Catholic, taking an active part in
the affairs of her church, being a member of the Trinity Catholic Parish.  Her
charities were dispensed among all classes, but she regarded it as her
particular province and derived the greatest Pleasure from seeking out young
Syrians, strangers in America, educating and encouraging them to useful
citizenship, and giving them the interests, outlook and sense of
responsibility of true Americans.  A happy tribute to her life and character,
which should be recorded in this brief article, was one that appeared in the
Shreveport Times, after her death, as follows:

"The sudden death of Mrs. Karam John, author, writer, translator, was doomed
to be cast in the hearts of her many friends in this and her native land, but
her gain is our loss and therefore we mourn; a true friend, a devoted wife, a
fond sister and loving aunt, she has gone to a better world to receive the
crowns of friends, wife, sister and aunt.  For this we rejoice.

"Her example should reflect in magnitude sufficient to inspire others to
follow in her noble success. Our departed friend shall never be forgotten and
we shall ever deem it a happy privilege to revere her memory.  To her bereaved
family she left the precious heritage of a spotless and noted name that will
be proud possession for life and to her friends she has bequeathed a memory of
love, sincerity and steadfastness that they will carry with them to the end.

"Though a great void has been created in the lives of all who have been
privileged to enjoy her intimacy, yet the thought of what her friendship meant
to them will be an inspiration to higher things.

"Thy smile is gone,

Thy sweet voice is hushed; and thy Precious head is cold forever;
The blooming flower plucked by the reaper Will make heaven still sweeter.
'Peace be thy soul, gentle friend, loving wife, sweet sister and kind aunt. 
The good God who gave thee to us has recalled thee to the heavenly home.  Thy
cheering example shall be to us a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night,
guiding us to the promised land, there to be reunited to thee in the bosom of
our Father."

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 191, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published by
The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.