Obituary of Homayoun Gloria Taslimi Sharify

Dear Family and Friends,

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Homayoun Gloria Taslimi Sharify. She was 97 years old.

While Gloria transitioned peacefully from this world and began her journey into the world of light on March 21, 2025, we will miss her loving heart. We will miss her wisdom and kindness.  The depth of love she shared will forever remain in our hearts.

Gloria lived her life in service to the Baha’i faith. She was a beacon of light and hope and touched many lives.

Gloria was was born in Qazvin, Iran, in 1927. She graduated from the University of Tehran with a degree in History and Geography in 1949. She taught in high schools in Tehran and emigrated to the United States in 1954. In 1965, she received her Master's Degree in Librarianship from the University of Pittsburgh.  In 1978, she received a Specialized Diploma in International Librarianship and Information Science from Long Island University.

For many years, she was engaged in librarianship and teaching librarianship at universities. In 1987, she retired so she could devote her time to public service and the Baha’i faith. Her service to the Baha’i faith would take her to Cyprus and the Bahamas as a pioneer.  In the Bahamas, she served on their Baha’i National Spiritual Assembly, as well as having served for several months as a librarian for the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Gloria was also extremely honored to be among 460 members of the worldwide Baha’i community to participate in the Fourth World Conference on Women as a Baha’i delegate to the NGO Forum on Women, held in Beijing, China, in 1995.

Homayoun Gloria Taslimi Sharify is preceded in death by: her parents Mohammad and Sakineh Taslimi; her sisters Bahieh, Banoo, Maliheh, Fereshteh, and Soorour; her brothers Abdul-Hussayn, Parviz and Farrokh; and her husband of many years, Nasser Sharify. She leaves a legacy through her surviving family members: her children Sharareh and Shahab; her son-in-law, Rick and daughter-in-law, Denise; her grandchildren, Tanya, Michelle, Jade, and Perry; her grandchildren-in-law Paul and Julia; and her great-grandchildren Caleb, Darius, Lucas, Niko, and Reza, as well as many loving nieces, nephews and their children.

Our family invites you to join us as we celebrate and honor Gloria’s enduring impact on our lives and hearts.

In remembrance, a gathering will take place on Monday March 24^th from 10:00 am to 1pm at Park Funeral Chapels at 2175 Jericho Turnpike in New Hyde Park, N.Y.  Immediately afterwards, the burial will take place at Pinelawn Memorial Cemetery at 2030 Wellwood Ave. in Farmingdale, N.Y.   

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that Baha’i friends contribute to the National Baha’i Fund earmarked for the Fund for the Baha’is of Iran. For non-Baha’is, please consider contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association ( www.alz.org), one of the leading organizations in the U.S. for Alzheimer’s research, advocacy, and support.

“Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.”

                                                                                   Baha’u’lah