Mehrnoosh Vejdani Watson, 67
Mehrnoosh Vejdani Watson, 67, passed away in New Canaan, Connecticut, on March 23, 2025.
Mehrnoosh was born in 1957 in Ghamsar, Iran, a (then) rural, mountainous village famous for its production of rosewater. She was the youngest of nine children, two of whom passed away in childhood.
Mehrnoosh and her family were adherents of the Bahá’í faith, an independent global religion whose core beliefs include unity in many forms: the elimination of prejudice, the equality of men and women, harmony between science and religion, and independent investigation of truth. Mehrnoosh was forever grateful to have been raised with these principles.
Despite constant tension due to the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran, Mehrnoosh’s childhood was happy. She was always immersed in nature. The bubbling stream that passed through her house and birds singing in the fruit trees she climbed in her mother’s walled garden became the soundtrack of her childhood. After primary school, Mehrnoosh’s parents sent her to Tehran to continue her studies, and she later majored in mathematics. Recognizing her artistic inclinations, a sister gifted Mehrnoosh a drawing class. A lifelong love of art was born.
In 1976, Mehrnoosh moved to the United States to attend university, choosing to study art. During her sophomore year, the Iranian hostage crisis took place, followed shortly by the Islamic revolution. Due to the severe intensification of the persecution of the Bahá’ís, Mehrnoosh applied to remain in the U.S. on humanitarian grounds, unable to return the following year for her father’s funeral. A few of her first cousins who remained in Iran were executed by the new Islamic regime on the basis of their Bahá’í beliefs. It was a period of great sadness for Mehrnoosh, being far from her family with limited means of communication.
Mehrnoosh poured herself into her studies. After completing a degree at Oklahoma State University, Mehrnoosh moved to Southern California to pursue graduate studies, and she went to study under Dr. Dan Jordan, who developed a novel pedagogical approach (the Anisa model). After his untimely death derailed her plans for a doctorate, she left with her master’s degree and moved back to Oklahoma, where she got married and opened an arts-focused preschool and a studio where she taught private art classes. Most important to her, she focused on raising her young stepdaughter Elisha, whose biological mother had been incapacitated in an accident. After her daughter Ariana was born, Mehrnoosh became further enraptured with the possibilities of early education.
In 1987, Mehrnoosh and her family moved to Massachusetts. She studied and completed formal training in innovative pedagogies, including Doman, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Suzuki and Waldorf. Based on these influences, she synthesized these theories into her own holistic approach to teaching and parenting. Bahá’í teachings were the foundation of her approach: Every child is inherently noble, with limitless potential. Education was her calling.
After completing her certification at Lesley University and practicum in Belmont, Mehrnoosh began working for the Acton Public Schools. Known as Ms. Watson to her students and their families, she taught kindergarten, first, and second grades at the Thoreau School for over 25 years until her retirement in 2020. To all who spent time in her classroom, Mehrnoosh was a gifted teacher, getting to know each student deeply and creating the environment and challenges that they needed.
Although her contributions to the Thoreau community were many, highlights included how consistently she brought nature into her classroom and took learning outdoors. She successfully applied for a grant to create an outdoor classroom — the Grounds for Learning. One of her many memorable unit studies focused on birds, in which each child had a distinct bird that they researched in detail and engaged with through various artistic and literary mediums throughout the year. Ms. Watson always encouraged her students to push themselves — her young students studied and memorized poetry and Nobel laureate speeches and performed them at end-of-year celebrations. Her results elevated expectations for children of their age.
Mehrnoosh’s classroom was recognized for its innovative approach. It was profiled in Lesley University’s graduate classes as a model classroom environment and she supervised some of their student-teachers. She was one of 10 educators featured by the WGBH Education Foundation in a series of videos that were aired on the Annenberg channel and used for graduate-level teacher training in universities across the United States for over two decades. Mehrnoosh’s work was profiled in the Boston Globe on several occasions and featured in at least two books about education: “Education on Trial” by Nat Rutstein, and “The Importance of Being Little” by Erika Christakis.
In addition to her teaching work, Mehrnoosh maintained an active parent consulting practice for over 15 years, both in private practice and for a national agency. She focused on supporting and coaching parents to address a range of behavioral, social-emotional, and educational challenges. Mehrnoosh’s experience as a certified mindfulness instructor added an important dimension to her work with both children and parents.
After retiring, Mehrnoosh turned anew to her artistic interests. She wrote and illustrated a children’s book about the unity of spiritual truths that connect the world’s religions — what connects us rather than divides us. She was thrilled when it was accepted for publication. The finished book, “Once Upon a Tomorrow,” will be available for purchase in mid-June. The original illustrations will be exhibited in coordination with the book launch.
Mehrnoosh lived a life of coherence. She lived according to her beliefs and never compromised on her core values. She challenged the status quo fearlessly when she believed better was possible, especially when it came to children. Service was a defining feature of her life. She was actively involved in Bahá’í communities in each place she lived. She was an organizing member of the Acton chapter of Meaningful Conversations, creating a space for all to explore uplifting topics. For over 20 years, she hosted a weekly devotional gathering for people of all beliefs.
Mehrnoosh’s biggest loves in life were her daughters — her original guinea pigs. She was thrilled to live nearby and spend time with them and her grandchildren in her retirement. She loved her grandchildren more than words can express and was so happy to be able to play an active role in their own education after her retirement, especially when her illness brought her to stay at Ariana’s house.
Mehrnoosh is survived by her daughters and their husbands: Ariana (Willie) Evarts of New Canaan and Elisha (Pete) Nagorka of Marstons Mills; four grandchildren; six siblings in Australia, Austria, Brazil, England, Iran, and Spain; and many nieces and nephews around the world.
A private celebration of life was held in New Canaan on March 27, 2025, followed by a burial at Lakeview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please honor Mehrnoosh through service or donations to Household Goods (530 Main Street, Acton) or other local organizations benefiting refugees.
A public memorial gathering has been organized by members of the Thoreau and wider Acton communities, to be held from 1-3 p.m., on June 1, 2025, at the Thoreau School. All are lovingly invited.
