Dick Mason

The Observer

To be in the presence of EOU history professor Shapur Shahbazi was to be in rare company.

Marc Cronin, a television producer from England, understood this. Cronin came to La Grande in May 2001 to tape a television interview with Shahbazi about the relationship between the ancient Greeks and Persians and the wars between them from 490 to 480 B.C.

"He is one of only three people in the world who knows the history of ancient Greece and Persia inside and out, speaks Persian and English and is from Iran,” Cronin told The Observer during that 2001 visit to La Grande.

The remarkable man Cronin spoke of died Saturday. Shahbazi, 64, passed away in a Walla Walla hospital after a long battle with cancer. He had retired in 2005 after teaching at EOU for 20 years.

"He will be deeply and profoundly missed. He was a lovely human being,” said EOU history professor Greg Monahan.

Retired EOU President David Gilbert echoes this sentiment.

"He was absolutely brilliant a very good teacher and a very kind person,” said Gilbert, who lives near Wallowa Lake.

A memorial for Shahbazi will be conducted Sunday at EOU. It begins at 3 p.m. in the Ackerman Hall alumni room. Shahbazi will be buried in Iran.

A prolific scholar, Shahbazi’s publications included 16 books and some 180 articles in journals and scholarly publications. About four years ago he was the guest commentator in two documentary films made by the Discovery Channel and the BBC.

"He was a titan of scholarship. He published more in one year than most of us do in our entire lives,” Monahan said.

Shahbazi was born in Shiraz, Iran. He had a master’s degree in Western Asiatic archaeology, a doctorate in archeology from the University of London, and a post-doctorate in Iranian historiography from the Gttingen University in Germany.

He taught at a number of universities including Harvard and Columbia before coming to EOU in 1985.

At Eastern he taught art history, historiography, ancient history, women of the classical world and Middle Eastern history.

Shahbazi was an outstanding lecturer, said Monahan, who took Shahbazi’s ancient history class in 2005 because he would be teaching it after Shahbazi retired. The experience is one Monahan will forever cherish.

"It was one of the best and most enjoyable learning experiences I’ve had,” Monahan said. "He was a great lecturer and a great performer.”

He could also be demanding, Monahan said.

"He could be tough. If he suggested that you read something, you better do it because it would be on the test,” Monahan said.

Shahbazi never worried about misplacing his lecture notes.

"He never used a note. It was amazing,” Monahan said.

Shahbazi also lectured about regions without the benefit of maps.

"He never used maps. If he needed one, he would draw one. He drew maps better than anyone I’ve seen,” the EOU history professor said.

Shahbazi spoke English, Persian, German and Old Persian. He could read French, Greek, Arabic and Aramaic. His linguistic skills were sometimes most apparent when people would see him at work in his office.

"Sometimes there would be five books in five different languages open on his desk at once. He would read one and then jump to another while researching something,” said Eric Harvey, a teaching assistant for Shahbazi and a former student.

Shahbazi knew the components of language well.

"He was amazing not only with language but also words,” Monahan said. "He knew the origin of words. He didn’t need to check anything. It was like he carried a CD-ROM in his head.”

Shahbazi’s mind may have been like a computer, but not his heart.

"He was profoundly devoted to his family,” Monahan said. "He was a very warm person.”

Shahbazi’s wife, Farideh, noted that he supported many needy Iranian families without ever telling anyone.

"He was not only the greatest scholar but also the greatest father and husband and friend. He was a good, good human being,” she said.

Shahbazi’s daughter, Rudabeh, echoes this feeling.

"He was the most amazing person. He had such a good influence on my life. Anything that I’m successful in is all because of him,” Rudabeh said.

She noted that her father always maintained close ties to Iran.

"He never became Americanized. He never lost his culture.”