Obituary of Jahangir Hassankhani

Mr. Jahangir Hassankhani passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren on October 21, 2014. His long and illustrious life spanned a few generations of the world's geopolitics, and witnessed ever-changing face of history from the Reign of the Shah (and even his father), to the Iranian revolution and beyond. Though never involved in politics (he always insisted on maintaining his judiciary independence), his keen worldliness and sanguine approach to a society in upheaval, kept him active over many years in the arena of the justice department in Iran from its inception into its evolution into modernity. Mr. Hassankhani held very distinguished posts as Head Judge of the Criminal Court, eventuating in his appointment to the Iranian Supreme Court. Over the years he was involved in training many generation of judges, attorneys and thinkers - among which Ms. ShirinEbadi (Iranian Nobel laureate) who came circulating in his court as an avid and bright student of the law. After retiring from his duties as a judge, he was elected as vice-chair of Tehran's Bar Association, during the first round of democratic elections - since the revolution - thus initiating a new forum for old-timer, independent-minded attorneys who made it an obligation to fight the despots and the fanatics. Despite his open declarations as an independent -minded judge-turned attorney, he was spared from the punishing iron fist of the dominant regime due to his strict adherence and respect for the letter of the law. He always emphasized, with passion, the significance of the symbolic angel of justice, with her eyes in blindfold - scale in one hand and a sword in the other: "one should not haste to judge based on the color of the skin, social status or connectedness, rather justice is pure and operative only when all are treated equally in the eye of the law." Mr. Jahangir Hassankhani was a loving and caring husband to his wife Farah and an exemplary father to his children Alborz and Alvand. His greatest sources of joy were his grandchildren Skye, Ryan, Dario and Avan who will forever remember him with immense affection. Mr. Hassankhani was held in very high esteem by all members of his extended family and friends in the United States and around the globe thanks to his erudition, honor, impeccable sense of justice and righteous personality. We are sad that he is not with us - but shall not mourn him. He gives us cause to celebrate his life for he lives on in every member of the human race with a strong sense of fairness and justice. Gathering at Oyster Bay Funeral Home, 261 South St., Oyster Bay, NY, Wednesday October 22 at 1:30 p.m. Interment will follow Locust Valley Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. www.oysterbayfuneralhome.com