Jawad "Joe" Bargothi

Jawad “Joe” Barghothi passed at his home on Monday, July 8, 2024.

Jawad “Joe” Bargothi (June 2, 1938) was born in the city of Jerusalem to a Palestinian father and a

Turkish mother. He had a normal childhood for the first ten years of his life; however, after the

creation of the State of Israel in 1948, Barghothi became incensed about what happened to his

people, the Palestinians. As he witnessed the injustices inflicted on them, he vowed to do what

he could to remedy these inequities. By the age of sixteen, indelibly impressed with the events

of 1948, Barghothi became involved in the politics of the Middle East, where he led student

uprising in Jerusalem against the Jordanian government and its Western support.

In the spring of 1956, Barghothi graduated from high school and entered Sothern Illinois

University, Carbondale, where he successfully earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and

physics. In the fall of 1961, he entered graduate school. The political environment in the Middle

East at that time influenced Barghothi to change his academic field from mathematics to

government. He graduated with a master’s degree in government in 1963. After working as a

math instructor in a high school in O’Fallon, Missouri, from 1963 to 1965, he returned to

Southern Illinois University to pursue a Ph.D. in government (political; science), with a

concentration in international politics. Graduating in 1968, he then accepted a position at

Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, where he taught for one year. In 1969, Barghothi married

Barbara, his lovely companion since that time. He also accepted a position at Appalachian State

University in the fall of 1969. Dr. Barghothi became very active in regional political science

associations, where he delivered several papers each year, related to the past and the future of

the Middle East.

Barghothi took a sabbatical leave in 1980 when he, his wife, and two children went to live and

work in occupied Palestine. He and Barbara worked at the University of Beir Zeit, where Dr.

Barghothi taught political philosophy and his wife taught psychology. Due, however, to the

occupation policy of Israel, Dr. Barghothi was forced to leave his native home once again by

order of the military governor of the occupied West Bank. In July 1981, he and his family came

back to Boone, where he continued to teach at  Appalachian State University and participate in

regional conferences of political science.

Dr. Barghothi retired in 2003 after a teaching career of almost forty years, including three years

teaching in the Appalachian State University phased -retirement system. He and his wife then

went to live in Mexico for four and a half months, where he taught two political science courses

at the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico, in the spring semester of 2004. During this

time, the couple enjoyed touring Mexico and learning firsthand about the lives of the Mexican

people.

In August of 2004, Barghothi accepted a position as a professor with the Semester at Sea

Program, where he taught three classes aboard a ship while journeying around the world. In

retirement, he and his wife pursued a very busy travel schedule. Dr. Barghothi continued to

enjoy lecturing on cruise ships, while both he and his wife enriched their lives through

opportunities and continued teaching and studying abroad when they could. Dr. Barghothi was

awarded emeritus status by the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees on April 29,

2005.

Dr. Barghothi loved playing golf with his wife and playing poker with his friends.  He was a lively debater

who loved to talk about international politics.  Additionally, he and his wife enjoyed international travel

and going to musical entertainment and dances.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Ismail and Backezeh Barghothi and a brother and two

sisters.

He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Barbara Barghothi, children, Akram (AJ) Barghothi

and his wife, Jane in Boone, NC Shadia Rath and her husband, Gene in Raleigh, NC, Deena

Barghothi and Mark McCarthy in New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Medi Home Health and Hopsice, 401

Shadowline Drive unit 102, Boone, NC 28607 or to www.pcrf.net – provides urgent humanitarian

care for Gaza’s children.

Austin and Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Barghothi family.

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