Zafar Ullah Khan, 70, passed on October 22, 2020. Zafar was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh on February 27, 1950. He was one of 9 siblings. Zafar spent his childhood enjoying cricket, enjoying Bollywood films in the cinema, and traveling to his parent’s home town of Shahjanpur.
Zafar married Rizwana in 1974 in Bareilly, India. Together they raised 3 children: Arshi Khan, Syma Khan, and Kalim Khan. Zafar’s daughter, Arshi, is married to Ayaz and they have 2 children, Zoya and Soha. Zafar loved being a grandfather and often took his grand-daughters on trips and activities.
Zafar graduated from Aligarh Muslim University and studied engineering. He then went on to pursue a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering from India Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. He worked for several years in India as an engineer at Indian Oil. He migrated to America in 1981 to pursue an MBA (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill) and PhD (Louisiana State University) in business and accounting. In 1984, Rizwana and Arshi joined Zafar in Baton Rouge.
Zafar joined the faculty at Eastern Michigan University in 1989 and taught for many years before becoming head of the department of accounting and finance and associate dean. He was known as a tough grader however he was always willing to stay after office hours to help explain a concept or upcoming exam. As an administrator Zafar was passionate about education and cared deeply about the student experience in the College of Business. He was involved in scholarship allocation and helping create a fair and engaging environment for students, faculty, and staff. Zafar also engaged with the Indian American Students Association and often took family to their annual events. Zafar also went to football tailgates and annual COB outings. He enjoyed being an educator and working in academia.
Zafar loved family and having a full house. He assisted many extended family members in migrating and settling in America and Canada. Several nieces and cousins stayed with Zafar while they were obtaining degrees. Zafar appreciated the opportunity and advancement education offered in the US and wanted to ensure others had access to the same supports he did. He was always willing to offer his time, counsel, and support to those who needed it.
Zafar was a founding member of the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Michigan. He assisted in organizing music programs and fundraising events for scholarships. He was known as their unofficial photographer. Zafar loved ghazals and Urdu poetry. Zafar was a member of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS) and held his faith close to his heart. He was proud to be present when the local mosque was founded. Zafar lived in Canton for over 30 years and the friends and he and Rizwana made are like family. There were weekly potlucks, weddings, births, and losses they experienced together.
Zafar loved to travel and appreciated America’s preservation of National Parks. He traveled across the country multiple times, often choosing to drive to the Annual American Association of Accounting Conferences over flying. Destinations included Florida, San Antonio, and San Diego. One trip he and Rizwana drove over 15,000 miles. These trips also allowed Zafar to keep in touch with family including cousins and childhood friends. No matter the occasion, Zafar and Rizwana were ready to drive and celebrate the event with family and friends. Zafar and his family also flew to India frequently to visit family and help ensure their children connected to their culture and extended family.
Zafar played badminton weekly before COVID and loved being active including walks and bike rides with his granddaughters. He prided himself on walking 10,000 steps a day.
He will be missed dearly be all those who knew him.