Farrukh Ioas

Farrukh Ioas
BornJanuary 9, 1920
California, USA
DiedApril 14, 1960
Washington D.C., USA
Other namesMary Lorraine Ioas
Parent(s)Leroy Ioas
Sylvia Ioas

Farrukh Ioas (January 9, 1920 - April 14, 1960) was an American Bahá’í who assisted in the establishment and consolidation of Bahá’í communities in Idaho and Texas, and also pioneered to France where she served on the National Teaching Committee.

Biography[edit]

Ioas was born Mary Lorraine Ioas in 1920 to parents Leroy and Sylvia Ioas and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá granted her the name Farrukh which is the name she was known by from early childhood. She grew up in California and attended the first Geyserville Bahá’í Summer School in 1927 and continued to attend annually for two decades.[1]

In 1942 Ioas pioneered to Boise, Idaho, in order to assist with establishing the first Local Spiritual Assembly in the State of Idaho,[1] and the Local Spiritual Assembly of Boise was formed in 1943.[2] After the election of the Assembly she moved to Stanford, California, and graduated from Stanford University with a degree in 1945. She then moved to Texas where she traveled intensively teaching in several different towns and cities every week with her efforts contributing to the establishment of the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Dallas and San Antonio in 1948.[2]

In 1947 Ioas moved to Wilmette, Illinois, where she served on the National Spiritual Assemblies Public Relations Committee, served as an editor of The Bahá’í World and Bahá’í News, and worked for the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United States. In addition to her administrative work she also served as a public speaker at many Bahá’í meetings and often delivered talks at the Foundation Hall of the Wilmette Bahá’í House of Worship.[2]

Ioas pioneered to Texas when the Ten Year Crusade was launched in 1953 and assisted with the establishment of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Fort Worth in 1955, then pioneered to France at the request of the European Teaching Committee in 1956 and was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Paris. She was appointed to the National Teaching Committee of France and assisted in the development of a national teaching program which established travel teaching circuits, workshops, and regional teaching conferences, with her efforts resulting in four Local Spiritual Assemblies being established. She also assisted in securing land for the future construction of a French House of Worship and helped organize the First French Bahá’í National Convention in 1958.[2]

In 1959 Ioas returned to the United States for medical treatment having fallen ill however after a brief period of recovery she pioneered to Florence, Italy. Her health failed after a short time and she had to return to America for further treatment in early 1960. She passed away in April that year in Washington.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 919. View as PDF.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 920. View as PDF.
  3. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 922. View as PDF.
Retrieved from "https://bahaipedia.org/index.php?title=Farrukh_Ioas&oldid=150244"

Table Of Contents