Rasim Bayrasli’s life was full of movement, resilience, and a deep belief in education. For those who knew him, his life was defined not by what he achieved for himself, but by what he gave to others.
Born in Crimea in 1936, under Soviet rule, he fled with his family at just eight years old. They landed in Germany, where he played soccer barefoot, and later settled in Eskisehir, Turkiye, after World War II. He went to Ataturk Lisesi, and in the early 1960s, followed his older brothers to the United States. Alongside his siblings, he opened an auto repair shop in Brooklyn. With no formal training, he built a life grounded in hard work, persistence, and curiosity. Rasim never stopped moving, never stopped trying.
Family was everything to him. A devoted husband to Nesrin and father to Elmira, Ercüment, and Elif, he worked tirelessly to provide for them. Rasim carried himself with humility and a deep sense of responsibility. He believed in hard work, integrity, and the importance of education, not just as a means of personal success, but as a way to uplift entire families and communities. He loved gardening, sports, and jokes, and even when his health started to fail, he always found a way to laugh, to make you laugh, or simply see the good in a moment.
Education and curiosity were values Rasim and Nesrin carried all their lives. Though neither went to college, they admired learning, encouraged exploration, and constantly looked for ways to help young people pursue their dreams. That spirit became a gift they passed on to their children.
In 2024, just a few months before Rasim passed away, his children—Elmira, Ercument, and Elif—decided to create a memorial scholarship fund in his name. Nesrin was proud that their children were determined to honor him in a way that reflected his values and continued his impact. For the family, the decision was about more than remembrance. It was about transforming memory into action. The Rasim Bayrasli Memorial Scholarship Fund reflects Rasim’s lifelong commitment to opportunity and fairness, serving as a bridge between his values and the future he would have wanted for others.
Creating a memorial fund is a deeply personal act, but at TPF it is also profoundly flexible. Just as every individual’s life is unique, so too are the ways families can choose to honor their loved ones. As Elmira says, “You don’t have to be rich to create a memorial fund. You just need to have the will.” And they did.
The Bayrasli family chose to support students from Eskişehir, Türkiye, Rasim’s home, helping them pursue higher education anywhere in the country. In its first year, three students received support, and the family is determined to grow the fund so even more young people can follow their dreams.
This scholarship is more than financial assistance. It is about hope. It is about legacy. It is about turning a life built on hard work, family, and belief in education into opportunities for others. Through this fund, Rasim’s family is keeping his spirit alive, honoring his generosity, and giving young people from Eskişehir the chance to dream bigger. Just as he always wanted.
The Bayrasli family’s choice is one example among many, but it speaks to something universal: the desire to keep a loved one’s story alive by continuing their good work. A memorial fund is not only about memory. It is about carrying forward the values that defined a life, transforming grief into growth and legacy into impact.
At TPF, every memorial fund carries a story. Each one is a testament to love and resilience, to values lived and passed on. And together, they form a community of legacies, different in shape, but united in purpose: to make a lasting difference in Türkiye and beyond