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Victor Habeeb Tweel, a beloved teacher, storyteller, and family patriarch, passed away peacefully at the age of 80.
Born in the fall of 1946 in Huntington, West Virginia, Victor was the son of Naif Esper Tweel and Margaret (Cassatly) Tweel, a strong and elegant woman, after the Tweel family had immigrated from Kfeir, Lebanon. He grew up in a home filled with the rhythms of his father singing Arab and American songs at the dinner table, the aroma of his (grandmother) Taytah’s kibbi, and the deep values of family and resilience.
Victor's childhood was marked by a radiant joy and an artistic spirit, even through his own health challenges. A resourceful boy, he sold newspapers on street corners and, with the help of a kind shop teacher, built the family's first real bookcase - a five-shelf oak masterpiece he carried nearly a mile home with a friend. He was a son of Huntington whose story is woven into the very bones of the city.
A man of many talents, Victor's artistic and comedic nature shone brightly. He was a gifted painter and draftsman, calligrapher, gardener, and his love for performance proved out as the master of ceremonies for the 1964 Kferian Reunion's “Sheik's Revue,” where he rode in on a cardboard camel he painted himself, cracking jokes that filled the Pritchard Hotel with laughter. He performed in choruses and theater productions at Marshall University, not for the spotlight but to impress his co-eds, one of whom, Janice Bragg, he would later marry. It was from that institution that he received his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Counseling degrees.
After a brief tenure in the Ashland Oil chemical sciences department, Victor proved his calling as a natural educator who dedicated over 30 years to the Wood County Gifted Education program and TREK Center. He believed deeply in nurturing young minds, creating innovative classes like “Make Me Laugh,” where he taught the mechanics of humor through classics like Laurel and Hardy. He advocated for his students’ opportunities and inspired them with his passion for knowledge, hands-on experimentation, and storytelling. Even after his retirement he tutored and continued as a life long teacher at heart.
He is survived by his sons, Christopher and Patrick; his granddaughters, Amara and Bailey Tweel; and a large, loving extended family. He is also well remembered by his partner of nearly 30 years, Barbara Sadler. He will be remembered by all for his resilience, his laughter, and his unwavering devotion to his students and loved ones. Victor's was a life rich with story, love, and purpose - a legacy that will endure.