Parviz Ekbatani

“Shhhh. Baba is sleepin’.”

There are men you introduce.

And then there are men like Parviz - who introduce themselves just by being in the room.

Parviz Ekbatani was born on July 22nd, 1930 in the coastal city of Rasht, Iran. The third oldest of ten children, he brought great pride to the family name through his devoted military service and raised his own family in the city of Tehran. He married his wife Pouran in 1957 and together they had four children.

He was forced to leave his home nation during the Iranian Revolution. He gave up all that he had amassed during his career and lifetime to seek asylum in the United States. He found a new home in the South Bay region of Los Angeles, CA where he spent 44 years of his life. It was in this area he raised his two youngest kids and opened a few businesses along the way, including the locally renowned restaurant Stuft Pizza.

Parviz, known to his family as Baba Parviz, found joy in small, stubborn rituals: homemade yogurt, sticky raisin cookies, 72 hour marathons in a Vegas poker room. He was committed to these rituals and largely attributed his longevity to the power of exercise and home cooking. He outlived wars and overcame cancer twice.

He supported his family through countless hardships and was the face of resilience. He raised multiple generations within the Ekbatani family thanks to his commitment, his rules, and a stare that required no explanation; it always got the point across.

He was a man of quick wit and humor, needing just a sly glance to bring levity to any situation. He was a proud host of family gatherings and he was a fierce competitor in the games of poker and backgammon.

He showed his love through giving, whether it was advice, protection, presence, salmon, grapes, and especially walnuts. He was a master of “tarof” and would never let you leave his house without a full belly.

Parviz is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years. He is survived by his sons Ardavan and Ariaman; daughters Azita and Ariana; grandchildren Shaghayegh, Amir, Amanda, Arman, Shamim, Ashley, Brandon, Kaylah; and great-grandchildren Sassan, Zayn, Zachary, Leo.

It is with heartfelt grief that we announce his passing on July 7th, 2025.

Parviz means “fortunate.” We highlight this to represent how fortunate we feel to have known and loved him. His service will be held Saturday, July 12th, 2025 at Green Hills Memorial Park.

His legacy lives on. If you close your eyes, and listen closely enough, you just might hear his low, gravelly, loving growl firmly reiterating his eternal wishes for the many people he loved:

“Exercise. Respect. Don’t be scared. Finish your damn rice!”