Dorieh "Houri" Parangi passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 20, 2025, in Newton, MA  at the age of 93. She was deeply loved and admired by her son, Max and his wife, Nika, her daughter Sareh and her husband, Aria and her daughter Mahsa and her husband, Joe. She was incredibly proud of her six grandchildren Aria, Ryan, Shayan, Nima, Ava, and Alex, whom she helped take care of with joy. She was married to the love of her life, her husband, Nasrollah Parangi, for 63 years.

Dorieh was an amazing and loving mother who was the matriarch of our family. She was a true visionary who was loving beyond measure, pragmatic, and a true force of nature.

Dorieh was born in Rasht, Iran, to a large family with four sisters and one brother. She met her husband in the lake and mountain resort of Urmieh. They married in their 20s and built a beautiful life. Despite the struggles life brought, they persevered with love and resilience.

Dorieh received a BA from the University of Tehran. She then accompanied her husband to Florence, Italy, where he pursued a Doctoral  degree in architecture. She spoke very little Italian, but she persevered to learn the language, take courses towards her Master's degree and work. She told stories of working in a hair salon, making lots of friends, and gathering tips to support her family.

Upon returning to Iran, she balanced motherhood with being a dedicated middle school teacher for many years. As her students told us when we met them as adults, she was a great teacher. During this time, her husband's career as an architect grew exponentially and they built a comfortable and happy life. She and Nasser loved to travel, and the family took international trips together, which they cherished. She loved all kinds of jewelry, the blingier the better and with every trip she would make sure to purchase a piece as a memento.

The life Dorieh and her husband worked so hard to build was abruptly interrupted by the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Thinking about the long term future of their children, Dorieh and her husband left everything behind and emigrated to the US and settled in New Jersey. They started over building a life in the US. Once again, Dorieh's positive attitude and resilience was shining bright. She took English language classes and started working at several boutiques as a sales person. She was sociable beyond measure and everyone who met her loved her.

As her children were growing up, she provided them with unconditional love and support and served as a role model. She always said that education was paramount. She had a saying that money may come and go but no one can take education away from you. Her biggest pride was the success of her kids as first generation immigrants in the US. Her son, Max, followed in her husband's footsteps and became a successful architect, her daughter Sareh, a prominent surgeon, a Harvard Professor and Chair of Department of Surgery at Newton-Wellesley hospital and her daughter, Mahsa, a corporate attorney.

She was always thinking of her family, what she could cook for them, what gifts she could buy for her grandchildren. She also had incredible business acumen and a pragmatic approach. Every member of the family came to her seeking advice whether in business, relationships or career paths. This past October she was so excited to attend her grandson, Aria's and his wife, Brianna's wedding. She danced and celebrated with family and friends.

To honor Dorieh, an annual scholarship has been established at Barnard College, Columbia University in her name, the Dorieh Tootoonchian Parangi Scholarship Fund, the alma mater of both of her daughters.

We have lost the rock of our family, and our hearts are broken, but Dorieh (Maman Houri) lives on in the beautiful family she leaves behind.

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