Mir Ghafar Tabatabai was born on May 15, 1927, in Ahar, Iran, to Mir Shahab and Fatemeh Soltan. He was a younger brother to Mahmood and an older brother to Ahmad, both of whom predeceased Mr. Tabatabai. Mr. Tabatabai married Pouran Taj Yazdanie in January 1953. Together, they share four daughters and a son.

Mr. Tabatabai completed his education in the Naval division of the Iranian military. During this time, Ghafar received numerous honors and accolades, several of which were awarded by the Shah of Iran himself. He was recognized for his athleticism as the best swimmer and best gymnast, and as one of the best pilots of military aircrafts. His success and distinguished reputation preceded him when he transferred to the Army branch, where he quickly earned the highest officer ranking and was once again recognized by the Shah of Iran. His service extended beyond his role as an Army General; Mr. Tabatabai advocated for the indigent and indefensible before the Iranian Military Court.

After a lengthy and accomplished military career, Mr. Tabatabai retired from the Iranian military and immigrated to the United States of America in 1985. Mr. Tabatabai lived in Colorado and Florida before he settled down in Southern California, where he resided for over 20 years.

A lifelong learner, Mr. Tabatabai embraced new knowledge and engaged in current events. He was well-versed in literature, having earned his master's degree in Iranian Literature. He was fluent in Farsi, Turkish, French, and English. He was a talented violinist. Mr. Tabatabai's favorite pastimes included reading, long walks, swimming, traveling, and playing backgammon. He also had a liking for sweets – chocolate, ice cream, and hard candies were his favorite.

Mr. Tabatabai was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He was incredibly proud of his children and of his grandchildren, to whom he was known as "Baba Taba." To know Mr. Tabatabai was to love Mr. Tabatabai. Kindness was his nature; his heart and nobility will forever remain unmatched. All who knew Mr. Tabatabai would agree – his existence was rare, as he was the kind of person you encounter once in a lifetime.

Mir Ghafar Tabatabai died peacefully on August 25, 2022, at his Irvine, California home. He was 95 years old. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Pouran; his five children: Nasrin, Nahid, Giti, Reza, and Suzan; his thirteen grandchildren: Alireza, Amir Reza, Leila, Mohammadreza, Cole, Romain, Jonathan, Tatiana, Pahrmis, Pahrsa, Pasha, Junichi, and Yukiko; and his four great-grandchildren: Mehdi, Raha, Hasti, and Arshan.