Gary T. Saba

Gary T. Saba, 73, of Allentown, passed away on September 2, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Gary was the son of the late Edward T. and Rosalyn M. (Sadd) Saba. He graduated from William Allen High School in Allentown and earned both of his degrees from Purdue University: a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1974 and a master’s degree in Management, with a concentration in Finance, in 1976. Gary built a professional career spanning more than 45 years. He retired as Director of Business Development for Olon Ricerca Biosciences LLC after previously working with Johnson Matthey, Air Products, where he spent 22 years, and Burroughs in Detroit. His career took him throughout the United States and internationally. Family was central to Gary’s life. He guided and supported his children throughout their lives and took great satisfaction in bringing everyone together for holidays, vacations, dinners, and family gatherings. A meticulous planner, he was known for organizing trips down to the last detail. Travel also deepened his appreciation for history, culture, and food, especially seafood and discovering new restaurants and cuisines. Gary played piano from childhood and could hear a song and play it by ear without reading music. He often played at family gatherings, wrote songs while in college, and continued playing throughout adulthood. He particularly enjoyed classical music and Christmas performances, including Handel’s Messiah at Ursinus College. Ocean City, New Jersey, held a special place in Gary’s life. Beginning in the 1970s, summers at the Jersey Shore became a decades-long family tradition filled with boating, fishing, swimming, cookouts, time at the beach, and family dinners. Gary was also a devoted Cleveland and Purdue sports fan. Baseball, football, and basketball were regular parts of family life. His own connection to baseball began in the 1960s, when he and his brother Greg played for the West End Youth Center under the coaching of their father, Edward. At Purdue, Gary was a member of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, where he formed friendships and memories that remained important to him for decades. He also enjoyed gardening, and was a longtime member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Allentown. Gary will be remembered for his extraordinary attention to detail, his love of music and tradition, his curiosity about the world, his loyalty to the people and places he cared about, and, above all, the life he built around his family. Gary is survived by his wife, Nadia P. (Kasick) Saba; his son, Brenton E. Saba of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; his daughters, Meredith K. Saba and her husband, Aser A. Farouk, of Franklin, North Carolina, and Allison E. Saba Schmehl and her husband, Daniel, of Alexandria, Virginia; his brother, Gregory D. Saba and his wife, Maria (Zanchettin) Saba, of Allentown; his sister, Lynne M. Dean and her husband, Jeffrey Dean, of West Chester, Pennsylvania; his grandson, Casey D. Schmehl of Alexandria, Virginia; and his nephews, David, Paul, and Andrew Saba and Michael Saba Dean, of Allentown, Bethlehem, and West Chester, Pennsylvania. The Saba family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Gary’s special caregiver, Naze, for her devotion and compassionate care during the final year of his life. A funeral service was held on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. at J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home, 16th and Hamilton Streets, Allentown. Visitation was held on Friday, September 11, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment followed at Cedar Hill Memorial Park, Allentown. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.