Mr. Arash Ghaderi

With deepest sorrow, we announce that Arash Ghaderi, age 31, our most beloved son, brother, uncle and friend passed away on Tuesday, March 17 while in the hospital after battling with an aggressive cancer for 11 months.

Arash was born in Salmas, Iran (Eastern Kurdistan).

Arash had a deep love for everyone he met, young and old. He lived a life absent of judgment. He did not see color. He did not see race. He did not see creed. He only saw the goodness in people and loved everyone equally and unconditionally without any expectations.

He had a magnetic personality and a big, beautiful smile that drew people to him. It was astonishing to watch him make friends without much effort. Whether it was someone at school or the postal-woman at work or the nurses at the hospital.

Arash loved gatherings, big or small, and never missed the opportunity to attend a family dinner, a community event, or camping with his parents and their friends at Shenandoah.

He was a music enthusiast. His love for music had no boundaries. His playlist ranged from old school rap & hip hop to the new wave to Kurdish folklore. Arash was diagnosed with cancer during the COVID pandemic, and thus his activities were extremely limited and so were any interactions with people outside the family. The only thing he looked forward to was going on long drives with music playing in the background. He did this almost every night of the week when he was home from the hospital. Some nights with Reza, some nights with his parents, some nights with his sisters.

Those who knew Arash, even just a little, lost a shining light in their lives. And we are forever in debt to the Kurdish community and many of Arash’s friends, including some from elementary school, that came to bid him farewell, shared in our immense sorrow and grief, and cried with us.

Arash will be missed dearly and remembered everyday by his Mother, Touran Bahmani, his Father, Ali Ghaderi, his sisters, Vida, Roya, Samira, and Savin, his only brother and best friend Reza (Toraj), his brother-in-law, Younis Yousefi, and his sister-in-law, Sonia, his nieces, Aveen, Rojeen, Leila, Leena, and Nureen, his Grandmother, his loving Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and many, many great friends and community members.

“At night when we look to the skies and see a twinkling star that shines brighter than the rest, we know that’s where you are.”

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation in Arash’s name to your local homeless shelter or orphanage