Tahereh Radpour
Tahereh Rassekh Radpour, 93, of Hixson, died on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008, at Life Care of East Ridge, surrounded by family.
She was born in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 12, 1914, to Ahmad and Fatima Rassekh.
She was a lifetime member of the Baha’i faith and honorably served it for seven years as the principal administrator of the Baha’i community of Tehran, a religious community which faced severe persecution from Iranian Islamic fundamentalists.
She was one of the first two women elected to serve on Baha’i governing bodies, and she was well-known for her hospitality, her steadfastness, and her courage in speaking the truth, even to oppressors.
She came with her husband to the United States in 1969 to assist her children with their growing families, and she was a powerful voice for excellence to her children and grandchildren.
From 1979, when the Islamic Revolution occurred in Iran and the severe persecution of Baha’is there began anew, she grieved as the news of the deaths of some 400 close friends and associates arrived. These martyrs were men and women with whom she had served on committees and programs, youth whom she had watched mature, families whose needs she had addressed.
In 1982, the news arrived that her sister’s son, Farhang Maveddat, had been imprisoned and executed for his refusal to deny his belief in the Baha’i teachings. Throughout all these events, Tahereh refused bitterness and embraced pride in the courage of these souls. She served the American Baha’i community as it provided support and services to thousands of Baha’i refugees fleeing religious persecution in Iran.
In Chattanooga, she served on the local administrative bodies which govern Baha’i affairs and welcomed her children, nieces and nephews who came here to try to build new lives in a new country. She also participated in a local International Club and warmed to friendships with people from all around the globe of every race and religious background.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hossein Radpour; her daughter, Paridokht Jabbari; her great-grandson, James MacDowell Markert III; her sister, Batul Maveddat; and her brother, Dr. Ezat Rassekh.
She is survived by her three children, Kaihan Radpour Strain and Iraj (Roger) Radpour, of Chattanooga with his wife, Mary K. Radpour, and Shahzad Radpour Naderi and her husband, Nader Naderi, of Reston, Va.; her 11 grandchildren, Kamyar Jabbari, Dr. Faryar Jabbari, Golnar Jabbari Fozi, Ladan Strain, Dr. Laili Radpour-Markert, Dr. Christopher Radpour, Dr. Marzieh Radpour-Wiley, Aria Radpour, Naysan Naderi, Nooshin Naderi Reimer and Dayheem Naderi; and 19 great-grandchildren. Her remaining siblings and family include Dr. Ali Rasskeh and family, of Vancouver; Dr. Ata Rasskeh and family, of Chattanooga; Bahereh Rassekh Joubine and family, of Luxembourg; Dr. Shapour Rassekh and family, of Geneva, Switzerland; and Dr. Nasrullah Rassekh and family, of Portland, Or.
Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, at The Chattanoogan, 1201 S. Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402.
Friends who wish to make a donation in Mrs. Radpour’s name arc encouraged to remember the Tahirih Justice Center (http://www.tahirih.org) or Health for Humanity (http://www.healthforhumanity.org/).
Family visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home on Highway 153.