1924 - 2008
Ismail N. Ismail, 85, died on Friday 26th September 2008 in Chicago after short illness. He was born in Dooreh village, N. Iraq, the first son of Nissan and Baibe. In his childhood he learned the Assyrian language and attended the school at Ainnony. However, like the majority of teenagers of his generation in Barwar, his education was cut short by the harsh circumstances of those days.
Ismail joined and served several years the Parachute Company of the Assyrian Levies. His courage, athleticism and excellent training made him a renowned figure. Besides his duties inside the country to maintain law and order, he was sent during the WWII on special missions to repulse the Nazi invasion of Iran, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus and Greece. His operational conducts included parachuting behind the enemy lines. In the frontier of Greece his parachute oscillated in a nasty way and he was hurt when landed; but despite his severe back-pain he continued with other Assyrian soldiers fighting until disempowered the German enemy. He believed that on this confrontation his life was miraculously saved by St. George the Patron Saint of Dooreh by letting him fall upon and deeply plunge into a pile of cut grass in a fallow field.
After leaving the Levy, Ismail worked for a number of departments in Iraq and Kuwait. In 1953, with his brothers Estephan and Sheem, he built a nice house in Dooreh. However, because of the troublesome situation between the Kurd rebels and the Iraqi government since 1961, which was often accompanied by military operations, the Ismail’s family and most of other Doorehians left the village. In mid-1960s, they seem to have settled in Baghdad. But not for a long; for the deterioration in the standard of living, lack of social justice and discrimination against the ethnic communities forced all of them to escape the beloved homeland. Ismail and his family immigrated to USA, Estephan and his family to Canada, and Sheem and his family to Australia.
To many relatives Ismail was like the old brother who would provide the correct advice. He was gifted with a progressive mind with great aspiration. During the second half of 1960s, when with Yaqoub Khoshaba, Petrous Mikhael, Zaia Dinkha Nissan and others, we arranged a number of mass gatherings of Doorehians and other Barwarians with the goal of comforting our distressed people and raising the moral spirit among them while trapped in a battle zone, he provided us with helpful recommendations. Soon afterwards where, with Louis Mirza, Odisho Gewargis, Petrous Mikhael, Shmoel Iskhaq, and representatives of most of other Doorehian families in Baghdad, we decided to establish an association to tackle the problems of our displaced people and at the same time present a practical example for other Assyrians, Ismail again was like an advisor and constant supporter. His stance remained the same with respect to other events that have arisen since. In his talks with me and my brothers, he reflected that our Assyrian national identify is a central point and therefore should never be a subject of compromise.
Ismail is survived by his wife Esther Daniel, 3 sons, 6 daughters, and several grandchildren. Together with them we pay tribute to late Ismail and he will be sorely missed by all of us. May The Lord bless him and bless everybody with His mercy and love. Amen.
Written by:
Mr. Shlemon Sapper
October - 4 - 2008
England/ London
We call on God to inspire his family and to comfort the bereaved home soul rest in perfect peace.
Rest In Peace.
Sept - 29 - 2008
USA