Ibrahim Aziz Naccasha

Ibrahim Aziz Naccasha, 95, of San Luis Obispo, California, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 16, 2022 after an honest, loving, religious and impactful life. He loved the catholic church and the amazing people he got to know through the church. Ibrahim, the oldest son of 13 children, was born on March 5, 1927 to Aziz Naccasha and Najma Rahmani in Mosul, Iraq. After graduating from secondary school, he attended a two year business course there. After completing the business program in Mosul, Ibrahim got his first job as a teacher, to help his family while his father was sick. He then started working as a banker. Thanks to his math skills and penchant for hard work, he rose through the ranks of the banks he loved, the Arab National Bank and the Rafidain Bank, in Mosul, where he was promoted to be the regional president. Shortly after the promotion, he interrupted his life to start a steel import and export company in Baghdad. It was at this time that he met and fell in love with Batoul Bashoo. They were married in November of 1962, and were with each other for over 60 years through all of life's ups and downs. Ibrahim and Batoul would go on to have three children, Ziyad, Izzat and Tarik. Ibrahim was a wonderful and devoted father, husband and teacher. He always taught us to work hard, to learn, to save, to respect others and love one another, and he supported us all throughout the many accomplishments and difficulties of our lives. After buying out his partner in their steel import business, the Iraqi government nationalized his company and simply took it over. Ibrahim and Batoul bought a home in Bikfaya, Lebanon and put their two sons (at the time) in a boarding school there while they slowly took what they could out of Iraq. They lived in Lebanon for three years and decided to have another child. When the Lebanese civil war heated up in 1974, Ibrahim and Batoul moved their family to Glendale, California. They courageously uprooted their family and, without speaking the language, came to this country with their children, without a job, thanks to his sister, Rena, who facilitated green cards for the family. Not having a resume or the ability to get a traditional job, Ibrahim and Batoul took over a little restaurant there called Kay’s Orange Squeeze. Three years of living in Southern California made them want to move to a smaller, cleaner place to raise their children. On a trip with his nephew, Ibrahim drove through San Luis Obispo in 1977 and he fell in love with it. So much so that he bought a house and a restaurant before announcing to Batoul that they were moving to SLO. They opened that restaurant, Shawirma Grill, SLO’s first middle eastern restaurant, in the Creamery, the spot where Goshi is now. A tragic accident with their middle son Izzat forced the family to sell the restaurant in 1980, but they opened a new one, called Naccasha Restaurant, in 1981 on Laurel Lane, the spot where Lucy’s coffee shop is now. They sold the business and retired in 1989. When Ibrahim wasn't cooking or helping his family, he could be found collecting stamps. An avid stamp collector since the 1940s, Ibrahim dedicated much of his time to that hobby. He loved travel and other countries and was keen to collect stamps from each region of every city and country in the world. Ibrahim was predeceased by his mother and father and each of his 12 brothers and sisters. He is the last surviving person in his immediate family. He is survived by his wife, Batoul, his sons, Ziyad, Izzat and Tarik, and his grandchildren, Emile and Hannah, Tarik, Lauren, Brahim, Areg and Toula. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of SLO county, Mission College Prep or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Ibrahim Aziz Naccasha

March 5, 1927 - December 16, 2022