In memory of
Jalleh Kermanshahi
November 1, 1946 - June 24, 2025
It is with great sadness that the bereaved family announce the unexpected passing of Ms. Jalleh Kermanshahi on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, with her beloved daughter at her side in Cassis, France. She is survived by her three loving children: Pooneh, Sasan (Sam), and Ashkan; and her grandchildren Cyrus, Ashton, and Aryanna. With her untimely passing, Jalleh left too soon, leaving an impressive legacy, yet a great void in the hearts of many.
Jalleh was born in Tehran, Iran in 1946 to Fakhri Lajevardi and Abdollah Kermanshahi (predeceased). She was the eldest of three children, leaving behind her siblings, Mohsen and Atefeh. Her grand-father was Hossein Lajevardi (of Kashan), an influential and charitable merchant in Iran who was an active supporter of the Constitutional movement during the late Qajar era, and whose ill-treatment among other merchants, led to the pivotal "basti protests" of 1905.
Jalleh was a force of nature, reaching many milestones and accomplishments throughout her lifetime, all through the sheer power of her intellect, personal drive and resilience, buttressed by her indefatigable energy. For those had the privilege to have their lives touched by her warmth, love and wisdom, she left a lasting impression. She was a force of good in an otherwise obscure world. That was her true essence. Her kindness was palpable.
She was the matriarch and the bedrock on which all else stood for her family and loved-ones. Jalleh was the embodiment of selfless sacrifice and devotion to her children – a shining beacon who guided them throughout life with her deep affection, grace, discernment, fairness and generosity. One of the many tenets of her values was integrity. She would often counsel her children:
“If you have integrity, you have everything. But if you have everything without integrity, you have nothing.”
Jalleh lived a life marked by highs and lows. In her youth, as the eldest child, between dedicating her time to helping her mother raise her siblings, and focusing on her studies, she enjoyed hiking the Alborz mountain range with family and friends, and riding horses; one of her many passions.
Jalleh obtained a law degree with distinction, majoring in international law at the University of Tehran, where she completed a comprehensive thesis on “Diplomatic relations between Iran and the United Kingdom following the Second World War.” She then obtained a Certificate in Journalism from Ettela’at Institute. A great believer in multilingualism, she sought early on to improve her English and French language skills, obtaining professional certifications from the University of Cambridge (UK), Paris University (France), and Laval University (Canada), among others; a trend she continued throughout her life, instilling in her children the importance and value of multilingualism. Throughout her studies and work, she developed a strong affinity for the French language and culture, which she would cultivate and promote throughout her life. She was also fascinated by linkages and similarities between languages, which she explored and wrote about.
With a penchant for reading and writing, she started her career as a young journalist working for the Ettela’at, the oldest newspaper in Iran, covering some of the major events of the time. In the early 1970s, she joined the Consular Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran. In the mid-1980s, along with her then husband, and three young children, she first moved to France and eventually settled in Canada where she lived for her remaining 37 years.
Restarting her life in a new country at the age of 42 with three young children brought immense challenges — yet it was through these very trials that her determination, brilliance, and resilience truly shone. While in Canada, she obtained a Bachelors with a specialization in French Studies from York University. She reinvented herself once again by graduating from York University with an additional degree in Education (her 3rd university degree), following which she joined the Toronto District School Board, later concluding her career in the West Vancouver School District. She taught generations of children in Canada and was recognised “for her dedication to improving the lives of others through education.”
She was a woman of action, always. While the ills of life and frailties of human nature would trouble her dignified soul, defeat, surrender or inaction did not figure in her vocabulary.
Driven by profound intellectual curiosity and zeal to soak in different experiences, Jalleh had many interests and passions, including music, art, theatre, travel, cultural traditions of different peoples, tennis, swimming and gardening (plants and flowers would bring her immense joy). She had great affection and respect for all forms of life. She was a compassionate, loving soul – a truly beautiful person, inside and out.
In retirement, she discovered a passion for water colour painting and took great joy in sharing her artistic journey with her children and grandchildren. Without any prior formal training or practice, she surprised her family by creating beautiful artistic paintings. She also kept active, teaching French part-time at the University of British Columbia, and pursued freelance journalism, contributing articles to different publications.
Jalleh had a strong sense of social consciousness. With her modest means, she regularly supported charitable organizations with international reach – focused on women, children, among other causes – and personally distributed meals she had bought or prepared to people in destitute throughout Vancouver where she lived.
She lived and loved with candour, passion and elegance.
Jalleh will be sorely missed by her surviving family and friends. She has been ensconced in particular in the hearts and minds of her children who will continue to honour her person, values, and legacy until their souls unite in the great beyond.
May Jalleh live in eternal peace and love in the highest heights of heaven, worthy of her compassionate and kind soul; may her memory be a blessing and her gentle spirit continue to guide her loved-ones as she did so impactfully in earthly life.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your prayers, love and support during this difficult time, and close with the following verse from the celebrated Persian poet, Rumi, that we hope captures our collective sentiment towards our dearest beloved, Jalleh:
‟Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation."
* * *
Should you wish to share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please feel free to do so at the slot provided on this platform ("Guestbook").
* * *
To honour her memory, the family of the bereaved would like to express sincere gratitude for your prayers, love and support. Should you wish to do so, in lieu of flowers, you may donate to Doctors Without Borders Canada / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in support of the organisation’s important mandate. Your generous donation will help MSF teams to continue offering lifesaving emergency medical care to those who need it most.
Please refer to the following link to make your donations:
https://action.msf.ca/site/TR/DIY/2020DIYTR?px=1177629&pg=personal&fr_id=1070
Thank you for your support!
Jalleh was born in Tehran, Iran in 1946 to Fakhri Lajevardi and Abdollah Kermanshahi (predeceased). She was the eldest of three children, leaving behind her siblings, Mohsen and Atefeh. Her grand-father was Hossein Lajevardi (of Kashan), an influential and charitable merchant in Iran who was an active supporter of the Constitutional movement during the late Qajar era, and whose ill-treatment among other merchants, led to the pivotal "basti protests" of 1905.
Jalleh was a force of nature, reaching many milestones and accomplishments throughout her lifetime, all through the sheer power of her intellect, personal drive and resilience, buttressed by her indefatigable energy. For those had the privilege to have their lives touched by her warmth, love and wisdom, she left a lasting impression. She was a force of good in an otherwise obscure world. That was her true essence. Her kindness was palpable.
She was the matriarch and the bedrock on which all else stood for her family and loved-ones. Jalleh was the embodiment of selfless sacrifice and devotion to her children – a shining beacon who guided them throughout life with her deep affection, grace, discernment, fairness and generosity. One of the many tenets of her values was integrity. She would often counsel her children:
“If you have integrity, you have everything. But if you have everything without integrity, you have nothing.”
Jalleh lived a life marked by highs and lows. In her youth, as the eldest child, between dedicating her time to helping her mother raise her siblings, and focusing on her studies, she enjoyed hiking the Alborz mountain range with family and friends, and riding horses; one of her many passions.
Jalleh obtained a law degree with distinction, majoring in international law at the University of Tehran, where she completed a comprehensive thesis on “Diplomatic relations between Iran and the United Kingdom following the Second World War.” She then obtained a Certificate in Journalism from Ettela’at Institute. A great believer in multilingualism, she sought early on to improve her English and French language skills, obtaining professional certifications from the University of Cambridge (UK), Paris University (France), and Laval University (Canada), among others; a trend she continued throughout her life, instilling in her children the importance and value of multilingualism. Throughout her studies and work, she developed a strong affinity for the French language and culture, which she would cultivate and promote throughout her life. She was also fascinated by linkages and similarities between languages, which she explored and wrote about.
With a penchant for reading and writing, she started her career as a young journalist working for the Ettela’at, the oldest newspaper in Iran, covering some of the major events of the time. In the early 1970s, she joined the Consular Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran. In the mid-1980s, along with her then husband, and three young children, she first moved to France and eventually settled in Canada where she lived for her remaining 37 years.
Restarting her life in a new country at the age of 42 with three young children brought immense challenges — yet it was through these very trials that her determination, brilliance, and resilience truly shone. While in Canada, she obtained a Bachelors with a specialization in French Studies from York University. She reinvented herself once again by graduating from York University with an additional degree in Education (her 3rd university degree), following which she joined the Toronto District School Board, later concluding her career in the West Vancouver School District. She taught generations of children in Canada and was recognised “for her dedication to improving the lives of others through education.”
She was a woman of action, always. While the ills of life and frailties of human nature would trouble her dignified soul, defeat, surrender or inaction did not figure in her vocabulary.
Driven by profound intellectual curiosity and zeal to soak in different experiences, Jalleh had many interests and passions, including music, art, theatre, travel, cultural traditions of different peoples, tennis, swimming and gardening (plants and flowers would bring her immense joy). She had great affection and respect for all forms of life. She was a compassionate, loving soul – a truly beautiful person, inside and out.
In retirement, she discovered a passion for water colour painting and took great joy in sharing her artistic journey with her children and grandchildren. Without any prior formal training or practice, she surprised her family by creating beautiful artistic paintings. She also kept active, teaching French part-time at the University of British Columbia, and pursued freelance journalism, contributing articles to different publications.
Jalleh had a strong sense of social consciousness. With her modest means, she regularly supported charitable organizations with international reach – focused on women, children, among other causes – and personally distributed meals she had bought or prepared to people in destitute throughout Vancouver where she lived.
She lived and loved with candour, passion and elegance.
Jalleh will be sorely missed by her surviving family and friends. She has been ensconced in particular in the hearts and minds of her children who will continue to honour her person, values, and legacy until their souls unite in the great beyond.
May Jalleh live in eternal peace and love in the highest heights of heaven, worthy of her compassionate and kind soul; may her memory be a blessing and her gentle spirit continue to guide her loved-ones as she did so impactfully in earthly life.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your prayers, love and support during this difficult time, and close with the following verse from the celebrated Persian poet, Rumi, that we hope captures our collective sentiment towards our dearest beloved, Jalleh:
‟Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation."
* * *
Should you wish to share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please feel free to do so at the slot provided on this platform ("Guestbook").
* * *
To honour her memory, the family of the bereaved would like to express sincere gratitude for your prayers, love and support. Should you wish to do so, in lieu of flowers, you may donate to Doctors Without Borders Canada / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in support of the organisation’s important mandate. Your generous donation will help MSF teams to continue offering lifesaving emergency medical care to those who need it most.
Please refer to the following link to make your donations:
https://action.msf.ca/site/TR/DIY/2020DIYTR?px=1177629&pg=personal&fr_id=1070
Thank you for your support!
Funeral Details
Show location:
Memorial Reception
Bayview Golf & Country Club
25 Fairway Heights Dr, Thornhill, ON, CANADA, L3T 3A7
Get Directions
Sunday, 13 Jul 2025 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM