Alia Potler Sayegh was born on Feb 11, 1929, in an apartment on Oriental Ave in Atlantic City.
She attended Atlantic City schools and graduated ACHS. She was awarded the American Legion Medal in 8th grade, and she was an officer in Sags Sorority at ACHS. She began college at the U of Illinois, later transferring to NYU, with a stop at McGill U, and received her BA from NYU. Immediately after college she began what would be a lifelong love of travel, touring alone through Europe and later ending up in Israel, where she met her husband, Solomon. They lived together in the Negev desert and ended up moving to AC so that Solomon could attend college. Alia raised their 3 children while Sol attended Rutgers.
Alia never lost her love for learning, and at the same time that she began teaching French at ACHS, she enrolled in graduate courses and ultimately received her PhD in Romance Languages from the University of Pennsylvania. She was fluent in 5 foreign languages.
In her time at ACHS, Dr Sayegh taught French and founded the Humanities Program.
She also founded the AC Education Foundation, and she secured grants and worked with the Ford Foundation to advance the Foundation’s work. She later served as chairperson of the Arts Department.
She influenced countless students, many of whom stayed in touch with her through the years. She considered her faculty friends at ACHS to be family, and they all kept in touch and spent many wonderful times together both during their teaching years and beyond, right up to the last days. She had special friendships with Warren Grossman, Bob Garbutt, Robin Conover, Eileen Lynch, and Joe Duffy.
When Alia retired from the high school, she spent time writing several mystery novels, and also penned a semi-autobiographical book “Alex in the Promised Land”. She also continued to teach courses locally for Brandeis University.
Most of her time, however, was spent with her family. With her husband she traveled the world, and they took along their children and grandchildren on trips to Italy, France, England, Israel, and various American cities. The purpose of these trips, beyond the travel experience, was to bond together the family, and especially the grandchildren.
Back at home, Alia was a masterful cook and hostess, and whether it was a big summer party, or a family Friday night dinner, she did it all with grace. The food was a wonderful mix of American and middle eastern dishes. These gatherings are remembered fondly by everyone who attended. Like her mother before her, Alia’s door was always open for anyone who wanted or needed a place to go for any holiday.
After the passing of her beloved husband in 2006, Alia continued to travel, taking her family again overseas and on domestic trips, always with the goal of creating family memories for the grandkids.
Alia also began new adventures. She began to travel with lifelong friends Lois Wallen and Joan Gravitz. The trio went to museums, the theater, and each other’s family events no matter where they were held. Their trips and celebrations filled the calendar. She additionally co-wrote the book “Escape from the Green Recliner” with Lois Wallen during this time.
Alia continued to host visitors until the very end, and she passed peacefully in her sleep on Nov 17.
Alia was predeceased by her husband Solomon, her brother Harold Potler, her parents Minnie and Nathan, and her niece Cathy Potler. She is survived by her children Joseph (Ginger), Abby Fine (Robert), and Sharon Molk (Ian)and (Arthur Miller), grandchildren Barry Fine (Ronnie), Arielle Miller (Zach Goodwin), Samuel Sayegh, Joe Miller, Stuart Fine, and Hannah Molk. She also lived to see and enjoy the company of her great-grandchildren Gavi and Natan Goodwin. She is also survived by her sister in law Arlene Potler, nephew Andy Potler (Marcia), Hannah (Chuck) Espie, Martin Vega, Natan Potler Vega, Nurit Hirshberg, Dede Abadi, and Malcah Zeldis and their families. Alia also has a great many extended family members here, in Israel, and in Argentina.
She will be greatly missed, and her memory cherished.
Friends and family are invited to her Funeral service, Friday, November 26, 11:00 am at Shirat Hayam, 700 Swarthmore Avenue, Ventnor, NJ. Visitation will begin at 10am. Interment Beth Kehillah Cemetery, EHT, NJ. Contributions in her memory may be made to a charity of your choice.