Elias Shehadeh Botto was born on October 6, 1932 in Jerusalem, Palestine and was one of 8 siblings born to Madeline and Shehadeh Botto. Due to the 1948 war, he and his family became refugees from Jerusalem, eventually moving to Bethlehem where he attended Terra Santa High School for boys. At 17, Elias moved to Lebanon to study at Beirut University and wanted to further his education in search of a new life for himself and his family by migrating to the United States.
Thus, in 1954, Elias boarded a cargo ship from Lebanon and after 40 days, arrived at Ellis Island in New York City. From New York, he then took a greyhound bus across the country to San Francisco, where his childhood friend was living and studying.
Elias immediately found work; first with the Dudums at their local market, then as a banker at BofA, and finally as a lab technician supervisor at UCSF Hospital, where he was able to put his chemistry degree to use. He then founded his own garment business, along with his brother-in-law Rodolfo, and named it Grand-B. After a rough start, he eventually built a very successful business until his retirement in 2001.
Since 1954, it was Elias’ dream to reunite his whole family in the United States. And over the course of 15 years, he successfully facilitated and sponsored each and every family member to relocate to the United States. This was his crowning achievement and he was regarded as a “second father” to all his siblings.
Elias met Fanny Butto in Santiago Chile in 1962, while visiting his sister, Mary, who had emigrated from Palestine a few years earlier. After a brief courtship, they were married 40 days later, and moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area to establish their new life together.
Elias was a very generous man of heart who always looked for ways to help others who were less fortunate. He never forgot the struggles that he and his family had endured, as well as the help he received throughout his life; he paid back those gifts many times over to everyone he touched. He truly lived by the belief “the more you have, the more you should give”.
He truly enjoyed family gatherings, had a great sense of humor, felt connected to all living beings, loved looking at the similarities in people, enjoyed poetry, ballroom dancing, loved music - always conducting classical songs whenever he heard them, enjoyed playing bariba, and going to the casino. Elias was also a Past Master United Lodge #120 and a Member of the San Francisco Scottish Rite.
Elias is survived by his wife, Fanny Botto. His children: Greg Botto (Lisa Botto), Eileen Hastie (Bruce Hastie), and Mark Botto. He has 10 grandchildren: Gregory Botto (Marisa Koller-Botto),
Andrew Botto, Katrina Botto, Anthony Botto, Gabriela Botto, Jordan Hastie, Kelsie Hastie, Jake Hastie, Luke Hastie, and Sam Hastie.
He is also survived by his siblings Mary Saad (Fouad Saad), Therese Zoumot (Yousef Zoumot), Diana Jezycki (Andrew Jezycki), Helen Brady (Frank Brady), and Nora D’Acquisto (Bob D’Acquisto).
Elias will be joining in Heaven his brother Jonny Botto, his sister Yolanda Kouncar, and his parents Madeline & Shahade Botto, among countless other relatives and friends.
Services will be held on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 2 p.m. at St. Gregory’s Church: 2715 Hacienda Street, San Mateo, CA 94403.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Bethlehem University "Madeleine & Shehade Botto Endowment Scholarship Fund" in Memory of their son, Elias Botto. Donation envelopes will be available at the Memorial Service or you can donate online at https://www.bufusa.org/donate/
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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