Hisham Nasrat Ashkouri

Hisham Nasrat Ashkouri, PhD, of Newton, passed away on December 23, 2025, at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. He was 77. Born on August 15, 1948, in Baghdad, Iraq, Hisham was the son of Nasrat Ashkouri and Lucy (Fathallah) Kassab.

From an early age, he demonstrated remarkable intellectual curiosity and academic excellence, graduating first in his class from the University of Baghdad, where he earned his bachelor’s degree of Architecture.

Hisham entered many design competitions, his first winning entry was for the Government of Iraq in 1972 while working with Hisham Munir and Associates for the “First Oil Compound to be built for the Nation”, the Ministry of Oil and Minerals. Other national competitions awarded were the Baghdad City Hall, the College of Agriculture at Sulaymaniyah, and the Ministry of Justice. He was also declared the winner of the design competition for the Baghdad Opera House, but that award was rescinded when the government of Iraq realized he was in the US. He also won the International Design Competition for the UAE Public Library and Cultural Center, the Killington Skiing Village Complex Design Competition for Killington, Vermont, the competition for the Kansai-Khan Library in Tokyo, Japan, and the design competition for the Playground for All Children in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York, the first such play area for both able-bodied and disabled children.

Hisham pursued advanced studies in the United States, earning a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Planning and Design from Harvard University, and a PhD in Ergonomics from Tufts University. He was widely known for his intelligence, deep knowledge, and lifelong love of learning. Exceptionally well read, he had a particular passion for the history of architecture and archaeology.

For 23 years, Hisham was the devoted husband of Ann Draper, with whom he shared a loving partnership grounded in mutual respect, curiosity, and family life. He treasured time spent with family and found joy in meaningful conversations and shared experiences.

Beyond his academic achievements, Hisham lived a richly creative and adventurous life. He loved painting and drawing, flying planes, sailing, and making music—playing the recorder, guitar, and piano. He was an avid gardener who took special pride in his floral plantings and fig trees. His many interests reflected both artistic sensitivity and technical mastery, qualities that defined him personally and professionally.

Hisham will be remembered as a brilliant mind, a gentle and thoughtful soul, and a man of wide-ranging talents and passions. His legacy lives on in the knowledge he shared, the beauty he created, and the love he gave to those around him.

In addition to his wife Ann, Hisham is survived by his siblings Elizabeth “Ibtizam”, Wisam; his in laws James Draper and his wife Abby and Elizabeth Draper and her husband Martin Halkyard; his nieces and nephews Hannah, Tony, Simon, Daniel, Michael, Sermed, Sema, Salam, Samer, Sinan, Luay, James, David, Andrew, James and wife Elizabeth, David and his fiancé Kriti, and Andrew; his cousins Hakmit and Aysar; his cousins Sami, Nashat, Hikmet, Nuzhant, Mona, Emel, Huda, Nael, Saad, Ghassan, Jenan, Waleed, Abdul Muttalib, Sabah, Hossam, Dia, Safaa, Baha, Noor Al-Haya, Alaa, Hana, Wafa, Naja, Mary, Bill, Carlotta, Dorothy, Daniel, Sarah, Louise, John, and Lizbeth.

He was predeceased by his siblings Mariam, Isam, and Nidham.

Family and friends are invited to Hisham’s Service on SATURDAY, January 3rd at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph Church, 777 West Hollis Street, Nashua. Interment will follow at St. Louis Cemetery, Nashua. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to Joslin Diabetes by visiting Joslin.org and clicking “Make a Gift” or to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, by visiting theaftd.org

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