Stories in the Garden, Part 2

"Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains."

Kahlil Gibran

Memorial Fig Tree Planting, March 4, 2011

Farnaz and Kambiz Soheili 

and their daughter, 

Kaynaz Soheili (DA, ’19) 

Mrs. Streck and Mrs. Soheili prepare the site.

Kaynaz and her cousin with the newly
planted fig tree.

Many hands help with planting.

Simple stones remember those who were lost.

The Soheili family and the fig tree.

Learning about one’s heritage is important. Durham Academy parents, Farnaz and K.C. Soheili who were born in Iran, wanted to give their daughter, Kaynaz (DA ’19), a chance to know who her family is and to learn the stories of young family members were who were lost to political strife in the 1980’s in Iran. They arranged with science teacher, Lynn Colleen Streck, to plant a memorial fig tree in the Lower School garden where other children would also have the chance to read and learn about four of their beloved relatives who died far too soon.

The tree will be a living remembrance of these brave people who died to uphold their convictions and beliefs. 

In the words of Mrs. Soheli, “We lost our dear cousins, Afsaneh, Hossein, Namvar and Nilofar, but they will always be alive in our hearts.” 

Stories are shared, planting is done,
and new memories are made