Nina P. Azari

Nina Parvin Azari died on September 6, 2025 after a battle with cancer. She was 66 years old. Nina was born on February 5, 1959 in Lincoln, Nebraska to Parviz “Paul” and (Harriet) Ann (Coates) Azari. Nina Azari grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and graduated from Rocky Mountain High School in 1977. She began her higher education as a music major, studying the violin. Although her talent and deep love of music continued throughout her life, she chose to pursue a life in science. Nina earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Sciences from Colorado State University in 1983, followed by a Master of Science degree in Cognitive Psychology in 1987, also from CSU. She continued in the PhD program there to earn her PhD in Cognitive Psychology in 1989. Dr. Azari earned a second PhD in Religious and Theological Studies from the Iliff School of Theology at Denver University in 2004. Over the course of her professional career, Nina was a postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Washington, DC, an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow in Germany, the Assistant Director at the Institute of Theology and Science in Nijmegen in the Netherlands and a professor of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Hawaii/Hilo. She also taught for many years at Ridgeview Classical School, and most recently was a lecturer at the Osher Institute at Colorado State University. In recent years, Nina attended Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Fort Collins. Despite many challenges, Nina lived a full life as a researcher, teacher, artist, musician, scholar, writer, thinker, dreamer, and animal lover. She loved teaching and all her students, walking, reading, swimming and making new friends. She had a great sense of humor. She was much loved and will be deeply missed. Nina was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Paul and Ann Azari. She is survived by her four siblings: Victoria (Tom) Loran of Fort Collins, Colorado, Doran (Kathy) Azari of Greeley, Colorado, Aaron (Anita) Azari of Arvada, Colorado, and Katherine Azari and husband Dan MacArthur of Fort Collins, Colorado. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews: Alyssa Azari and husband Sam Twito and their son Timothy of Arvada Colorado, David and Melissa (Warner) Azari and their daughter Isabel of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Abigail Azari and husband Nils Smit-Anseeuw of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Madeline Azari of Boulder, Colorado, Anthony Azari and fiancé Sarah Lopez of Greeley, Colorado, and Ellie (Loran) and Ben Oschwald and their family: Kayden, Kennedy, Braylee, Brooklyn, Kaleb, and Blaire of El Paso, Texas. She is also survived by her aunt, Turan Ilsen and cousins Natalie Fennel and Pauline Ilsen all of California, as well as cousins Deb (Kalama) and Niles Robinson of Indiana, and James Pryor of Hawaii. A private family memorial will be held. Our deepest thanks to Nina’s neighbors, friends, colleagues and extended family as well as her church family at Our Saviour’s Lutheran in Fort Collins, Colorado for your kindness, assistance and love for our sister. It is most appreciated. Also, our gratitude goes to Poudre Valley Hospital and Riverbend Health and Rehabilitation Center and Pathways Hospice. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Food Bank for Larimer County.