Biography -- English

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Arayesh Zahra NASSEH was born in Tehran on April 26, 1932 to Ali Akbar NASSEH and Efatzman DOLATSHAHI. She was the younger of two daughters. Her older sister, Assayesh Maryam NASSEH, was born in 1932.

Arayesh's father was assigned to a consular post in Paris, France and the family moved to Paris in 1936. At the start of the second world war her family returned to Tehran in 1940.

She continued her primary and secondary studies in bilingual schools (Jeanne d'Arc and Razi). She then continued her studies at the University of Tehran.

She started working for the ministry of education as a teacher and taught English and French to high school students for more than 25 years.

In 1959, Arayesh married Yazdan BANAN. They had two sons together  -- Mohsen and Daniel. They were separated in 1964.

In 1973 she continued with her studies at the University of Sorbonne in Paris and obtained her master's degree. On a part time basis, she also thought at the University of Tehran.

After the Iranian revolution, she retired from the ministry of education but continued to offer private lessons for English and French.

In 1998 she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She moved to Seattle, WA in 1999 and passed away in 2006 from complications of Alzheimer's.

Arayesh's grand children are: Darshi, Goli, Roya and Darian.