Amine Senouci-Bereksi

Amine Senouci-Bereksi, 62, of Perrysburg, passed away from lung cancer on Saturday, April 28, 2012, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Toledo with his family by his side. He was born May 23, 1949 in Tlemcen, Algeria, the third of seven children. In Algeria, he started his work career as a teacher. He then luckily was sent by the Algerian government to Madrid, Spain to study. It was there that he met and fell in love with his wife, Mara, who also was studying in Spain. He then decided to make his life in the United States and came here, not knowing any English. He married Mara on October 6, 1979 in Bowling Green. Because of his intense drive, he learned English quickly and pursued a degree in Computer Science. He studied at Bowling Green State University and received a B.S. in Computer Science in 1984. He then worked for various companies, including CTM, APMCO, and Maritz as a systems analyst. But because he wanted to spend more time with his daughters, Amira and Anissa, who were the loves of his life, and because he loved being a teacher, he decided to leave his jobs and go back to the profession he loved doing. He earned a M.A., again from B.G.S.U., and became certified as a Spanish and French teacher. His first teaching job in the U.S.A. was with the Delta school system, and then he accepted a position at Lake High School, teaching Spanish, and occasionally French, where he was still presently teaching. He loved his students and being a part of the Flyer family. He especially enjoyed the rival Spanish vs. French soccer games. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in September of 2011 and thought that he had beat it and was so happy when he was able to return to Lake in March and continue teaching, even though it was for a short time. The Lake family needs to know that he was so happy to be able to do that. He not only had a passion for teaching, but he had a passion for his favorite sport, soccer. Not only as a spectator, but also as a participant, playing until four weeks ago with his soccer buddies at B.G.S.U. He loved watching any and all soccer games from, the English Premiere League, the Bundesliga, and the Italian league to his favorite, the Spanish league. His favorite team, of course, was Real Madrid, still asking toward the end as to how they were doing in their games. Soccer lost a real passionate fan with his death. Amine is survived by his wife, Mara; daughters, Amira and Anissa; brother, Djawad (Raouida) of Houston, Texas; and his family in Algeria, brothers, Hamid, Fethi, and Nadir; sisters, Choumicha and Fatiha, and many, many nieces and nephews, but especially his nephews Soufiane and Reda. He was preceded in death by his parents Mohamed and Fatima. Burial was private at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, but friends will be received from 4:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the Witzler-Shank Funeral Home, 222 E. South Boundary St., Perrysburg (419-874-3133). Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, the Hope Lodge in Cleveland, Ohio or Hospice of Northwest Ohio. The family cannot thank more than enough all the people at the Cleveland Clinic Taussing Cancer Center, from the doctors and nurses, who helped prolong Amine's life to the receptionists and custodians. Also thanks to all the people at the Hope Lodge, Cleveland, without whom there would have been a tremendous financial burden on the family, and last but not least to the people at the Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Toledo who helped Amine and his family in his final moments. Vieglas smiltis. Light sand over you