Mansour Valli

Mansour Valli was born on 9-6-1949 in the city of Qom, in Iran. His parents were Bahram Ali Valli and Zarah Fallah.  He passed away peacefully, on March 26, 2023 at the Fairfax Community Hospital in Fairfax Ok., surrounded by his family.  He had been battling cancer for years.

Mansour was a sergeant in the Iranian military before he became a food inspector as a young adult living in Iran.

Mansour had a strong desire to come to America and attend college. In 1976 he was finally able to make that dream come true. He was attending Phillips University in Enid Ok, in 1977, when he met the love of his life, Denise Smith , from Freedom Ok. They were married on 3-19-1978. To that union, two children were born, Vanessa Denise and Michael Mansoor.

On New Year’s Eve of 1979 the couple spent their first night in California. They found an apartment in Long Beach Ca. and lived there for 18 months, before moving back to Freedom, Ok.

They later moved to Newalla and Mansour opened several convenient stores in and around that area. A few years later, he got into the restaurant business. He opened a pizza place in NW Ok City. Then in 1988, the family moved back to Freedom again where they opened a restaurant at the Alabaster Caverns, which was the former Park View Café. He and Denise then opened another place in Alva.  After several months, they moved the Alabaster Caverns restaurant location to Main Street in Freedom. Later they opened another location in Woodward Ok. As time went on, they opened restaurants in Vici, Yukon, and Ok. City.

He enjoyed cooking, attending auctions, and buying and selling restaurant equipment. He loved spending time with his children Vanessa and Michael and all of their friends, as well as other family members. He also enjoyed helping his father-in-law, Wayne Smith, out on the family farm north of Freedom.  The two of them enjoyed time together feeding cattle and other farming activities. He loved spending time on the farm when family members would come to visit and to have fun times together celebrating holidays, birthdays and other occasions with extended family members. He also enjoyed his visits with his mother-in-law, Norma Jean Smith and listening to stories she would tell about growing up and other things of interest to him. He had a special bond with her.  In the last few years, he enjoyed swimming at the YMCA, Instagram and social media where he could visit with friends and discuss health awareness, politics, and share musical talents. He enjoyed music of all kinds.

He loved life and enjoyed it to the very fullest each and every day, no matter what life gave him to deal with. He was always very optimistic about any situation and he instilled that positive attitude into his children, employees, friends, and other family members. He was never without a smile on his face. Even in the worst of times, he would always be thankful for what he had and what God had given him. He always said God is great, and thank God for what we have. He was an honest, hard-working man with many friends and siblings, and other family who loved him dearly. He was a very forgiving man and loved everyone he met. He never met a stranger, and always offered to help anyone needing help.

He was preceded in death by his parents Bahram Ali Valli and Zarah Fallah, and his siblings, Abdollah Valli, Fatemeh Valli, Azeez Valli, Sharpoor Valli, Mohamad Hossane Valli,  Amid Valli, sister-in-law, Parivash, his in laws, Wayne and Norma Jean Smith, his sister-in-law, Diane Lewis, and brother- in- law, David Smith

He is survived by his wife, Denise, of the home, his daughter Vanessa, and her husband, Bobby Nailon, from Weatherford Ok, his son, Michael Valli, and fiancé Darsea Finley, from Stillwater Ok, two grandchildren, Avry and Mabry Nailon, of Weatherford, siblings, Mohamad Ali Valli, Mohamad Hassan Valli, and wife Malektaj Esteaneh,  Sooroor Valli, and husband Ali Ghambari, Mahmood Valli, and wife Fateme, sister-in-law Badri Valli,  many nieces and nephews, and other friends and family.

Graveside rites will be held at Freedom Cemetery of Freedom, Ok on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 2 P.M. Minister Hosain will recite the Prayer for the Dead, and Minister Finley will administer graveside prayers. Reception will be held at the Freedom Methodist Church.