Alaa “Alex” Hanafy Attia

Alaa “Alex” Hanafy Attia, passed away unexpectedly on September 18th, 2020. Born July 28th, 1957 in Alexandria, Egypt the fourth of six children. Alaa graduated from the Police Academy with a degree in Law in Cairo, Egypt in 1980. He was invited to visit the US by a gentleman he had become friends with on an assignment and stayed briefly with him in Alabama. He settled in the United States in 1987 with the intention of furthering his studies.

While working in a restaurant in Pottstown PA in 1989 he met a customer, the love of his life, his wife Dawn Attia and they were married within 7 weeks of meeting. The day he passed was their 31st anniversary. Alaa was involved in the Islamic communities in both West Chester and Reading Pennsylvania. Alaa and Dawn raised three childrenAdam Alaa Attia (29), Sara Maureen Attia (28), and Yasmin Alaa Attia (26). In 1994 Alaa opened The West Chester Diner with Atef “Steve” Elhendawy, starting as business partners and ending as the dearest of friends. The West Chester Diner, affectionately joked about as being his fourth child, quickly became a pillar of the community with his involvement in the local schools and events, as well as his involvement and impact on the lives of his employees, customers, friends and family.

After years of Adam, Sara, and Yasmin working for the diner, he urged them to pursue their dreams outside of the family business and was so proud for them to go on to start promising careers. He was proud to brag that Adam is an attorney for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Sara is a broker and Annuity Specialist at Vanguard, and Yasmin is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. He relied heavily on his wife Dawn for help in event planning, decorating for holidays, and many of the personal touches the diner prides itself on. They were truly a great team.

Alaa had a passion for animals, cooking, fashion, and general human connection. He had the absolute best sense of humor and loved and was loved by everyone he met. Alaa was predeceased by his father Hanafy Mahmoud Attia, his mother Fathia Gaber Attia, his brother Essam Hanafy Attia, and his dogs Simsim, Smokey, and who Dawn jokingly referred to as the “real” love of Alaa’s life, Doogie. He is survived by his wife Dawn, his son Adam and his wife Sadaka Archie Attia, his daughter Sara and her husband Mahmoud Sawan, his daughter Yasmin, his sisters Salwa and Wafaa, his brothers Salah and Adel, many beloved nieces and nephews, and his pets Hershey, Koko, Moody, Rocky, Monroe and Booboo (as well as a local fox that he was trying to domesticate).

This is a great loss to his family, his friends, and his community. He will be truly missed.