Fahimeh M. Ghadimi

Her father, Abi Mashayekh, died of liver failure when she was a year old and subsequently, she was raised by her single mother, Malak Soroush (Malak Joon) and her older siblings. The oldest brother, Mamad, was only 17 years old when his father passed away and he took the financial responsibility for his entire family. He was like a father to Fahimeh and made sure she was kept safe and well fed. Her oldest sister, Pooran, was 15 years old at the time and would carry her little sister on her shoulder to allow Malak Joon to grieve the loss of her beloved husband. Throughout her childhood, she enjoyed playing with her other sister Farrah (Farry). They played seamstress, where Fahimeh would take her dolls to be dressed by the talented tailor. She also had two classmates (Shirin Modaress and Minoo Vahaji). They remained friends throughout her life. She loved attending school and enjoyed learning; her favorite subjects were Math and Literature. She was an avid reader. Her favorite book was ‘Les Misérables’. She read the book at least eight times and each time, Fahimeh would cry at the ending. She instilled the same love of literature in her four daughters.

When she was a young girl, she loved animals and had a pet cat named Pishi. Fahimeh followed the golden age of Hollywood and amassed a collection of magazines that encaptured the times. Not only was she a fantastic artist, but she also had a keen sense for fashion. A family friend, who once saw Fahimeh’s drawing of the actress Gina Lollobrigida, told her family it would be a shame if her talent was not further developed. She was so beautiful and always so tastefully dressed that indeed she could have easily been a Hollywood star herself in the golden age of cinema. When Fahimeh was in her late teens, she met and shortly thereafter got engaged to an officer named Reza Ghadimi. She was 20 when they got married. A year later, her daughter (Fariba) was born followed by her second daughter (Bita).

They lived in Isfahan, Iran for her husband to complete his military training and then moved to the United States in 1970 for Reza to complete his officer’s training at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

In September 1970, they were granted another daughter (Gita) and they returned back to Tehran, Iran shortly thereafter. Upon arrival, they had their fourth and last daughter (Arezoo). Reza had promised Malak Joon to take special care of Fahimeh during their trip to the United States. Fahimeh was pregnant with Gita when they traveled and when she returned, she was again pregnant but this time with Arezoo. Reza told Malak Joon, ‘See, I took special care of Fahimeh. I brought her back exactly in the same condition’. Fahimeh and Reza purchased a home where both her mother (Malak) and her mother-in-law (Madar) moved in with the happy family and helped raise the girls. This was a great opportunity for Fahimeh to continue with her college education and pursue her degree. She obtained her Master’s degree in Linguistics and Persian Literature and shortly thereafter started her teaching career.

Reza’s career was also on the upward track and once he received his promotion and title as Colonel, he was granted the opportunity to move to Islamabad and work for the Iranian embassy in Pakistan. Being the wonderful and sacrificing individual that she was, Fahimeh placed her own career on hold and moved the entire family to a new country. It was a time of endurance and excitement, with many functions and diplomatic gatherings and balls to attend. She always accompanied her husband; a beautiful, strong and intelligent woman. She embodied perfection and elegance. She raised her four daughters and enrolled them in the best schools. Fahimeh loved her daughters very much and wanted to instill in them a fine education and independence. She made sure that her daughters attended the best private schools and mentored them so that they would be strong and self-reliant. During this time, she had the opportunity to travel to China with her friends. She also traveled to Thailand, Hong Kong, England, and India with her family. Fahimeh had an adventurous spirit that she developed in her girls. Her four daughters love to travel and also follow in their mom’s footsteps. In 1979, the decision was made to return back to Iran, but the two older girls were given the opportunity to attend universities in the United States. She decided to move them to Pasadena, California and for the two younger girls to return back to Tehran with their father and grandmother (Malak). She returned back to Iran after the two older daughters were situated in the US. In Iran, Fahimeh continued pursuing her teaching career. She taught Linguistics and Persian Literature in an upscale high school and later became a professor at the University of Tehran and part of the Admissions Council.

In 1983, the entire family moved to Tustin, California where she resided for the remainder of her years. During this time, she opened her own business (a 60-Minute Photo Shop) where she excelled at processing and developing pictures. Her artistic talent extended to professional photography where she captured the essence of life (from pictures of flowers to family and friends). She dedicated 10 years of her life to this business but with the advent of technology and mobile photography, it became evident that it was time to move onto another business venture. Since she had an incredible talent for cooking, the family decided to open a restaurant in Yorba Linda, California. The business was somewhat lucrative but took its toll…working 7 days a week with no break. Eventually in 1997 at the age of 58, she decided to retire but still continued to support her daughters in their education and careers. Fariba, the oldest daughter got married and had two beautiful daughters, Mahsha and Sara, who were Fahimeh’s pride and joy. She helped raise both girls and watched them grow to become two amazing, lovely ladies.

Her youngest daughter, Arezoo got married and became a Professor at University of California, Irvine and later at Western University of Health Sciences. She lived with her husband and her two daughters (Bita and Gita) in Tustin, California for the rest of her years. Her two daughters worked in Clinical Research for several biomedical companies and were able to take her on trips to Europe, Hawaii, and Canada which she enjoyed immensely.

Fahimeh’s passions were art, culture, cooking, and entertaining family and friends at her house. She was a warm hostess with a gracious and compassionate personality that compelled all her friends and family to want to surround her and bask in her loving nature. She always knew the right thing to say and provided comfort for everyone in need. In all difficulty, people turned to Fahimeh, who always found solutions and brought peace and happiness to the lives of her friends and family.

Later in life, she reflected back on her amazing memories growing up in Iran with her family (her mother Malak, three brothers and two sisters), then getting married and having four daughters who loved and adored their Maman Fahim. She was a source of inspiration to so many and was truly an angel on this earth. Always lending a hand to someone in need and being a beacon of hope and grace.

Our mom’s life was cut short and she passed away at Hoag Hospital in Irvine, California due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer at the age of 77. She will surely be missed but she remains always in our hearts.

This poem is dedicated to our beautiful mom:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let airplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message She Is Dead,

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

She was our North, our South, our East and West,

Our working week and our Sunday rest,

Our noon, our midnight, our talk, our song;

We thought that love would last forever: We were wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Modified version from the poem by W. H. Auden

* * * * * * * * * *

Born on July 13, 1939 at her home in Tehran Iran – Fahimeh (Maman Fahim) was the youngest of six siblings and the only one to attend university and obtain her Master’s Degree in Persian Literature.

Her father, Abi Mashayekh, died of liver failure when she was a year old and subsequently, she was raised by her single mother, Malak Soroush (Malak Joon) and her older siblings. The oldest brother, Mamad, was only 17 years old when his father passed away and he took the financial responsibility for his entire family. He was like a father to Fahimeh and made sure she was kept safe and well fed. Her oldest sister, Pooran, was 15 years old at the time and would carry her little sister on her shoulder to allow Malak Joon to grieve the loss of her beloved husband. Throughout her childhood, she enjoyed playing with her other sister Farrah (Farry). They played seamstress, where Fahimeh would take her dolls to be dressed by the talented tailor. She also had two classmates (Shirin Modaress and Minoo Vahaji). They remained friends throughout her life. She loved attending school and enjoyed learning; her favorite subjects were Math and Literature. She was an avid reader. Her favorite book was ‘Les Misérables’. She read the book at least eight times and each time, Fahimeh would cry at the ending. She instilled the same love of literature in her four daughters.

When she was a young girl, she loved animals and had a pet cat named Pishi. Fahimeh followed the golden age of Hollywood and amassed a collection of magazines that encaptured the times. Not only was she a fantastic artist, but she also had a keen sense for fashion. A family friend, who once saw Fahimeh’s drawing of the actress Gina Lollobrigida, told her family it would be a shame if her talent was not further developed. She was so beautiful and always so tastefully dressed that indeed she could have easily been a Hollywood star herself in the golden age of cinema.

When Fahimeh was in her late teens, she met and shortly thereafter got engaged to an officer named Reza Ghadimi. She was 20 when they got married and a

year later, her first daughter (Fariba) was born followed by her second daughter (Bita).

They lived in Esfahan for her husband to complete his military training and then moved to the United States in 1970 for Reza to complete his officer’s training at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. In September 1970, they were granted another daughter (Gita) and they returned back to Tehran, Iran shortly thereafter. Upon arrival, they had their fourth and last daughter (Arezoo). Reza had promised Malak Joon to take special care of Fahimeh during their trip to the United States. Fahimeh was pregnant with Gita when they traveled and when she returned, she was again pregnant but this time with Arezoo. Reza told Malak Joon, ‘See, I took special care of Fahimeh. I brought her back exactly in the same condition’. Fahimeh and Reza purchased a home where both her mother (Malak) and her mother-in-law (Madar) moved in with the happy family and helped raise the girls. This was a great opportunity for Fahimeh to continue with her college education and pursue her degree. She obtained her Master’s degree in Linguistics and Persian Literature and shortly thereafter started her teaching career.

Reza’s career was also on the upward track and once he received his promotion and title as Colonel, he was granted the opportunity to move to Islamabad and work for the Iranian embassy in Pakistan. Being the wonderful and sacrificing individual that she was, Fahimeh placed her own career on hold and moved the entire family to a new country. It was a time of endurance and excitement, with many functions and diplomatic gatherings and balls to attend. She always accompanied her husband; a beautiful, strong and intelligent woman. She embodied perfection and elegance. She raised her four daughters and enrolled them in the best schools. Fahimeh loved her daughters very much and wanted to instill in them a fine education and independence. She made sure that her daughters attended the best private schools and mentored them so that they would be strong and self-reliant. During this time, she had the opportunity to travel to China with her friends. She also traveled to Thailand, Hong Kong, England, and India with her family. Fahimeh had an adventurous spirit that she developed in her girls. Indeed, her four daughters have her thirst for travel and they avidly follow in their mom’s footsteps.

In 1979, the decision was made to return back to Iran, but the two older girls were given the opportunity to attend universities in the United States. She decided to move them to Pasadena, California and for the two younger girls to return back to Tehran with their father and grandmother (Malak). She returned back to Iran after the two older daughters were situated in the US. In Iran, Fahimeh continued pursuing her teaching career. She taught Linguistics and Persian Literature in an upscale high school and later became a professor at the University of Tehran and part of the Admissions Council.

In 1983, the entire family moved to Tustin, California where she resided for the remainder of her years. During this time, she opened her own business (a 60-Minute Photo Shop) where she excelled at processing and developing pictures. Her artistic talent extended to professional photography where she captured the essence of life (from pictures of flowers to family and friends). She dedicated 10 years of her life to this business but with the advent of technology and mobile photography, it became evident that it was time to move onto another business venture. Since she had an incredible talent for cooking, the family decided to open a restaurant in Yorba Linda, California. The business was somewhat lucrative but took its toll…working 7 days a week with no break. Eventually in 1997 at the age of 58, she decided to retire but still continued to support her daughters in their education and careers. Fariba, the oldest daughter got married and had two beautiful daughters, Mahsha and Sara, who were Fahimeh’s pride and joy. She helped raise both girls and watched them grow to become two amazing, lovely ladies. Her youngest daughter, Arezoo got married and became a Professor at University of California, Irvine and later at Western University of Health Sciences.

She lived with her husband and her two daughters (Bita and Gita) in Tustin, California for the rest of her years. Her two daughters worked in Clinical Research for several biomedical companies and were able to take her on trips to Europe, Hawaii, and Canada which she enjoyed immensely.

Fahimeh’s passions were art, culture, cooking, and entertaining family and friends at her house. She was a warm hostess with a gracious and compassionate personality that compelled all her friends and family to want to surround her and bask in her loving nature. She always knew the right thing to say and provided comfort for everyone in need. In all difficulty, people turned to Fahimeh, who always found solutions and brought peace and happiness to the lives of her friends and family.

Later in life, she reflected back on her amazing memories growing up in Iran with her family (her mother Malak, three brothers and two sisters), then getting married and having four daughters who loved and adored their Maman Fahim. She was a source of inspiration to so many and was truly an angel on this earth. Always lending a hand to someone in need and being a beacon of hope and grace.

Our mom’s life was cut short and she passed away at Hoag Hospital in Irvine due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer at the age of 77. She will surely be missed but she remains always in our hearts.

This poem is dedicated to our beautiful mom:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let airplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message She Is Dead,

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

She was our North, our South, our East and West,

Our working week and our Sunday rest,

Our noon, our midnight, our talk, our song;

We thought that love would last forever: We were wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Modified version from the poem by W. H. Auden.