Claude Salama
A service will take place in San Francisco, California. The burial will take place in Colma, California at 11:00 a.m. PST.
Sinai Memorial Chapel, San Francisco, California
Shiva will take place in the evening following the burial.
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Claude Salomon Salama, on May 18, 2025 in Hillsborough, California. Claude was born in 1936 in Alexandria, Egypt, to Salomon and Fortunee Salama. He received his early education at Victoria College in Cairo, pursued his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at Imperial College, London and completed his Master in Business Administration from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Claude began his professional journey in Paris with TechnipFMC, where he played a pivotal role in designing the company’s first LNG plant in Algeria—an achievement that marked the beginning of a distinguished, decades-long career. He later joined Air Liquide in Montreal, serving as president of the engineering division at the renowned industrial gases and technology firm. His work eventually brought him to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he settled, and continued to work for Air Liquide in various executive leadership roles until 1995. Before retiring, Claude worked as a consultant for the prestigious engineering and construction firm SNC-Lavalin, further solidifying his legacy in the field.
Claude was a devoted and loving husband to Vivian (nee Brieger), and a proud father to Karen and Robert. His family was the cornerstone of his life, and he instilled in them the values of integrity, compassion, and perseverance. His warmth, affectionate nature, and ever-present smile will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him. Claude was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings Tony, Joseph (ZouZou), Rosie, Andree, Liliane, and Jacqueline. He is survived by his beloved wife, Vivian; his daughter, Karen, and her partner, A. James Hoskins; his son, Robert and daughter-in-law, Nicole, and his cherished grandchildren, Benjamin, Danielle, and Nathalie. Claude’s legacy lives on in the hearts of his family and all who were fortunate to know him.
Donations in his name may be made to the FIDF (Friends of the IDF) or the Neurology Department at Mills-Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame, California.