Farokhlagha Abdolkarimbeik was born to Abdollah Abdolkarimbeik and Fakhrolsadat Haj Ghasem Sharbatdar on December 25, 1925, at the family’s home in Tehran, Iran. She was the younger of their two children. As a child, Farokhlagha excelled in education and joined the Iranian Girl Scouts. She attended Shams-e Roas-haa Primary School and Tarbiat Nesvaan Secondary School. Unlike many women of her generation, she had the support of her parents to attend school, attaining an 11th grade education at a time when it was noteworthy for a woman to simply be literate. Ever a progressive woman, Farokhlagha left school to work, first finding employment as a secretary with the Tehran City Police, and later going to work as a pharmacy technician in a lab at the University of Tehran. She worked in this capacity for 28 years.
On May 11, 1951, Farokhlagha married Ahmad Abdolazimi in Tehran, Iran at the home of a maternal cousin of hers, former Iranian Minister of Transportation, Naser Insha. Ahmad went on to become a Colonel and acting Brigadier General in the Imperial Iranian Army. Four children were born of their union, the first two of whom died in infancy. Farokhlagha was a devoted and protective mother, instilling in her children the values of education, respect, and togetherness. The family’s time in Iran was spent traveling frequently in Farokhlagha’s white Volkswagen Beetle, visiting family and friends. Farokhlagha lived through the chaos of the Iranian Revolution and the bombing raids of the Iran-Iraq War. After the war, she was one of several Iranian civilians invited by the Iraqi government to the holy site of Karbala, Iraq, as a peace gesture. She and her husband immigrated to the United States in 1992 to live near their children and grandchildren in Lincoln. The couple moved in with their son and his family in 2001. In the summer of 2014, Farokhlagha moved to Lancaster Rehabilitation Center, where she was frequently visited by family and was beloved by staff and volunteers alike.
Farokhlagha and her husband devoted their retirement to spending time with family. In her spare time, she was a skilled knitter and seamstress, cooked for her grandchildren, and discussed her lifetime of wisdom. A reminder to eat sufficiently (her definition of sufficient exceeded that of the average person), to study hard in school, exercise good etiquette, and wear a coat could always be counted upon. When at home, she would normally be seen doing a Farsi crossword puzzle or taking in the sun on the deck overlooking the garden.
Farokhlagha was among the first generation in her family to be literate and as such was thrilled to see each of her children and grandchildren attend college. “Madar joon” (Farsi for Dear Mother), as her family called her, was a loving and proud grandmother who had a highly influential role in raising each of her grandchildren. The family’s well-being and success was always foremost in her mind. She was the moral voice and matriarch of her family, who is sorely afflicted by her loss. Her wisdom, generosity, strong will, and clever humor will be greatly missed, though she will live on through the memories and lessons that she leaves behind.
Farokhlagha is survived by two children, daughter Zahra Azimi, and son Amir Azimi (Kris), both of Lincoln, NE; five grandchildren, Pedram Nabegh (Courtney) of Lincoln, NE, Parham Nabegh of La Crescenta, CA, Arra Tucker (Matt) of Gastonia, NC, Cameron Azimi of Lincoln, NE, and Armon Azimi of Lincoln, NE; one great-grandchild, Cyrus Nabegh; and a sister-in-law; Mahrokh Abdolazimi of Rasht, Iran. She was preceded in death by two infant sons, her parents, her older brother Mahmood, her husband of 59 years, and five siblings-in-law.
A prayer service at the Islamic Foundation of Lincoln and a private burial service at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery were held in the afternoon on Saturday, November 3, 2018. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
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