ARASH PAUL ZAFARNIA

1983-2021

On March 9, 2021, Arash Paul Zafarnia, loving and loved husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, brother-in-law, son-in-law and dear friend to countless relatives, confidants and souls, unexpectedly passed away from a sudden cardiac event at the age of 37.

Arash was born on September 5, 1983, in Houston, a city that always held a special place in his heart. From his first days and throughout his life, everyone he graced held a smile and took on happiness. Education and learning were fundamental principles in his life. He attended Memorial Drive Elementary and The Kinkaid School, and earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston University and master’s in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Along the journey to adulthood, Arash was fortunate to grow his family and circle of friends. In 2014, Arash married the love of his life, Alison Biers, and together they welcomed two beautiful children. Fatherhood came naturally to Arash and he was an amazing dad. His children were his greatest joy and dedication, and his spirit shines brightly in them. He overflowed with love for his family and his furry best friend, Perla.

Equally committed to hard work and success, his career began in digital marketing and grew into sales, business development, strategy and entrepreneurial ventures. Most recently he set his goal on a career transition into ecommerce, and collaborated with friends to build two successful businesses, SantaSnaps and Sales Planner. With both built on the Shopify platform, Arash gained the experience he needed and ultimately landed his dream job with Shopify that he was set to begin before passing.

His dedication to building his professional capabilities were equal to having a strong moral compass, while still appreciating the importance of a well-balanced life. Arash always enjoyed taking on playful mischief and never taking anything too seriously, and he infused fun in everything he did. He could lift any room with his humor and wit. He was kind, loyal and honest, qualities he displayed daily and encouraged and cultivated in others. His sense of adventure inspired him to travel the world and spend time outdoors, and in his later years he was fortunate to visit every continent and many far-flung locations. He was a talented athlete and loved exercise, playing and watching basketball and cheering on his favorite team, the Houston Rockets.

Since 2010, Arash resided in Austin, Texas, where his family and friends gathered for a celebration of his life on March 14, 2021 at the family’s church, Northwest Hills United Methodist.

Arash is survived by his wife, Alison Biers Zafarnia and two small children; parents, Dr. Mohammade and Faranak Zafarnia; brother Bobby Zafarnia (Heidi); and sister Layla Zafarnia Vela (Kevin), as well as his in-laws Keith and Leanne Biers, and brother-in-law Stephen Biers (Chicory). As a true mark of someone with a big heart, he is also survived by numerous nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws who live across the world in numerous countries and miss him dearly.

In honor of Arash’s memory, and in lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests any donations be directed to Arash’s passion cause The Trail Foundation, or to his children’s education fund. We know how much Arash loved his kids, and his wish was to give them a wonderful education and have them actively participate in the community where they live. Please visit https://gofund.me/a9face0e for more information. “Know this: If God should shine His lovelight on your heart, I promise you’ll shine brighter than a dozen suns.” – Hafiz, Persian poet

Arrangements by WeedCorley-Fish Funeral Home, Austin, Texas – (512) 4528811. Remembrances may be shared at www.wcfish.com.