Cyrus A. Mesri, 23, of Urbana died at 8:45 a.m. Friday, January 9, 2009, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois.

A reception will be held on Wednesday, January 14 from 6-9 p.m. at Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana.

Cyrus Albert Mesri was born May 27, 1985, in Urbana, son of Gholamreza and Lorna Crawford Mesri. He attended Urbana High School, Eastern Illinois University, and Parkland College. He also spent a semester in the Pacific Northwest working as a deck hand on several fishing boats.

Cyrus is survived be his parents, a brother, David Mesri of Urbana, and his maternal grandmother, Margaret Crawford of Casper, Wyoming. He is preceded in death by his grandfathers and paternal grandmother.

As a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend, Cyrus showed great kindness and compassion. He had a unique rapport with animals and easily tamed or gentled the most resistant creatures. He made friends wherever he went with his wonderful sense of humor, his ability to solve problems, and his sensitivity to living things. Cyrus was an excellent fisherman who fished ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans with great success. He shared his passion for fishing by teaching other anglers how to fish. He loved the outdoors and was a keen observer of Nature. He enjoyed traveling with his family, especially to Canada.

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, NINDS, (see ninds.nih.gov/about_ninds/gift_fund.htm for instructions), or a charity of your choice.