Farid Fathi

Farid Fathi entered the world on September 23, 1950 and passed peacefully on January 9, 2026 at the age of 75. Born in Iran, he was raised with loving parents, Ghodsi and Gholam Hosein Fathi, and by the time it was said and done, the family had expanded to seven. Farid’s four siblings include his older brother Foad Fathi (Australia), older sister Soraya Bazyar (Australia), “twin” Vahid Fathi (Germany), and younger sister Taraneh Fathi Rezvani (Canada). Oh how Farid loved his family.

Over time, the family spread out. Like many of his siblings, Farid wanted to travel the world to enjoy life and to further his education. He set his eyes on the United States. Farid attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville and earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1977, after which time he chose Austin as his destination, where he met the love of his life, Marian Melinda Sullivan, and their story began.

Farid and Melinda met when Farid was managing the Santa Rita apartments near the UT campus where Melinda lived while she attended UT, and they immediately fell in love and eventually married in 1979, settling in Austin for good. Shortly thereafter, Farid was employed as a civil engineer with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the next few years. Melinda was concerned about the chemicals that Farid was exposed to on the job, so encouraged him to alter his career path, and he eventually became employed with the Internal Revenue Service. He continued his employment with the IRS, where he climbed the ladder earning multiple achievement awards throughout his tenure, and eventually retired in 2012.

Farid enjoyed the company of his dogs, the outdoors, walking in the parks with Melinda, as well as swimming, which became a daily source of enjoyment for him. Together they shared a joy in the preparation of unique international dishes, as well as eating out. Farid was able to travel and visit his family in Australia and California on several occasions, just to name a few of his adventures.

Once Melinda became ill, Farid was more than a husband, but became a caretaker 24/7, and his activity schedule slowed down a bit, focusing on her needs. Farid never ceased to profess his love for her and stayed devoted until her death in July 2022 due to health complications. Farid found comfort in the teachings of the Baha’i community of Austin. He made a lasting impression on those he became close with. The loss of Melinda, however, proved to be a level of loneliness that was sometimes unbearable, and Farid’s health took a drastic decline.

Despite this setback, Farid was not one to complain. He found a home with the Sodalis Assisted Living facility, where he always felt he was being “treated like a king”. Farid was quite content, and was happy to be at a place that was meeting his daily needs and he enjoyed the routine and companionship. Farid’s positive attitude, his jokes, and overall ability to converse with anybody was such a bright spot for everyone. He easily developed friendships along the way with the residents and the staff. A special thanks goes out to not only the team at Sodalis, but also to Allie with Suncrest Hospice.

A graveside service will be held in the Baha’i Eternal Garden on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 2:00pm. The cemetery is located at 117 S. Bell Blvd, Cedar Park, Texas 78613. The service will also be available for viewing online at this Zoom Link (Meeting ID: 870 6392 5909 Passcode: 350230).

Farid knew that his time was limited, and at the end, he was ready to join God and those who passed before him. Good-bye Farid. Until we meet again.