Osama Al-Zand

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Osama Adham Al-Zand on April 24, 2025. Osama was born in Baghdad, Iraq on January 14, 1939, to Adham and Rafia Al-Zand. He graduated from the University of Baghdad, College of Economics, and served as Reserve Military Officer for two years. A scholarship for graduate study brought him to the United States in 1962, where he received a Ph. D. in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota. While there he met Kathy Hoffmann, and they were married in 1967. After a research post in Tunisia and work with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Osama moved to Ottawa in 1973 where he worked for Agriculture Canada and as a faculty member at McGill University. He was a devoted and lovingly supportive husband, father and grandfather. He will always be remembered by his wife, Kathy, his sons Karim and Tarek, daughter Alia and grandchildren Faysal, Zara, Zayd, and Kaiya, and his daughters-in-law Dereth and Hanako and son-in-law Marwan. And by the many friends and acquaintances who were fortunate enough to know his warm smile, sincere curiosity and genuine goodness.  The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Doctors Without Borders.