Parvaneh Kamangar Kordestani

Parvaneh was born in 1935, or earlier, to Abdolmajid Kamangar and Derakhshandeh Moaiedi in Sanandaj, the capital of Iranian Kurdistan. These families constituted and were part of the aristocracy of that part of the world at that point of time.

Their family grew as Parvaneh became the oldest of seven siblings. She was followed by brother Siamak, sister Akram, brother Kourosh, brother Parviz, sister Shahnaz and brother Kambiz. The bond amongst the siblings was very strong and exemplary. So was their respect for their parents whom they simply addressed as Agha ( Sir) and Khanem ( Lady).

In 1953 Parvaneh married a teacher, Mehdi Khosravi Kordestani. They had a son in the year after that, Poolad, and spent the next 4 years in that Kurdish region. Then in 1959 Parvaneh also became a teacher and together with her husband they were assigned to education department roles as teaching and supervising the Iranian schools in Baghdad, Iraq. That same year they had their second son, Ali.

After 4 years of successful assignments in Iraq, Parvaneh and Mehdi were reassigned back to Iran. They settled in Tehran as both their positions continuously grew. Parvaneh became a vice principal and later a principal. Mehdi eventually became a congressman. In 1968 they had their 3rd son, Hamid.

They continued their exciting careers, culminating in consular assignments in Kuwait for 4 years, until the outbreak of the Iranian revolution which caused them to take refuge in the United States, where 3 of her brothers and 2 of her sons already lived.

After living in St.Louis for a couple of years they permanently moved to California. First to the Bay Area and then to Fresno Area. In the process, Parvaneh would spend a few years back in Iran with her aging parents until their passing.

Throughout her life, she was a confident and capable homemaker totally engaged in cooking, sewing and hosting activities. She loved her family and friends and showered them with love and care and food and sound advice about reconciliation and patience.

Towards the end, she was declining rapidly. Yet she fought courageously and had a strong flame of light and spirit in her.

Our dear Parvaneh died in her own bed peacefully in the morning of May the 2nd, from complications of COPD.

Her favorite shows were The Golden Girls, Family Feud and Everyone Loves Raymond. She liked the other game shows and YouTube type village cooking shows.

Parvaneh is survived by siblings Parviz Kamangar, Shahnaz Kamangar and Kambiz Kamangar; sons Paul Poolad Kordestani, Ali Kord and Harrison Hamid Kordestani; grandchildren Steele Kordestani and Ari Kordestani, Henry Curchod and Amazon Kord; nieces and nephews: Rouzbeh Kordestani, Ronak Kordestani, Andre Kamangar, Ali Farsio Jr, Arshia Kamangar, Kaveh Moshrefi, Kathy Ghavami and Kasra Moshrefi; and many cousins in Kamangar, Moaiedi, Moshrefi, Rahimzadeh and Mostofi families. She is also being mourned by In-law families including: Khosravi Kordestani, Lehman, Roe, Richards, Curchod, Sumners, xxxxxx, Vaziri, and Palizban.

This list is not complete without giving honor to people who actually provided care to her in recent years. Above everyone else is Lupe Maria Jinojosa who reliably loved her in the mornings for almost 4 years. Lily Quevedo Zapata at evenings in the last year, and Lupita, Surley and Irene, and Lilia who found most of these caregivers for us. Parvaneh was blessed to have this quality of care in her old age.

Thanks Be To God