It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the heart and soul of the Assyrian Aid Society of America (AASA).
Narsai David, former AASA Director, President, Chairperson, and Chairperson Emeritus, passed away on Thursday, June 20, 2024, following an extended illness. He was 87 years, just one week shy of his 88th birthday.
In 1993 Narsai was invited to join the AASA Board of Directors. He soon succeeded the late Youel Baba as President of the organization and went on to serve in that position for over 20 years before formally retiring from AASA in 2014.
Narsai was fiercely proud of his heritage and never missed an opportunity to educate non-Assyrians about it. In 1987 he commissioned and raised funds for a larger than life sized bronze statue of King Ashurbanipal that was erected by the City of San Francisco beside its Main Library building across from City Hall. It still stands there today.
Indeed, education was one of his primary life passions and, under his leadership, AASA financial support fueled the amazing growth of the AAS schools in North Iraq.
For another decade after stepping away from AASA Narsai continued to host his annual AASA dinner galas in San Francisco, Narsai’s Taste of the Mediterranean, raising nearly $1.5 million since 2002.
He never stopped checking in with the AASA national office to hear how things were going and, of course, to give advice.
Family plans for a memorial service celebrating Narsai’s life are pending.
In lieu of flowers, the David family requests that donations be made to the Assyrian Aid Society of America, honoring Narsai’s Assyrian heritage and his decades of service to his people.
