Amin Yazdanian - Obituary

n Friday, April 1, 2022, Dr. Amin Yazdanian passed away at the age of 83. Until his last day, Amin recited classic Persian poems, discussed international political history, and reminisced about his many travels and camping trips. He was truly a renaissance man. Amin was born on July 13, 1938 in Esfahan, Iran. He spent his childhood with his parents and older brother, Masood, and younger sister, Jaleh. After high school, Amin attended the University of Tehran, and, upon graduation, he moved to Lebanon to earn a Master’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Beirut. Amin's drive for further academics and his close bond with his sister then led him to the United States where he earned a PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1986. Amin then settled in Columbia, Maryland to be near Jaleh and her family, who lived in Annapolis. He worked for the Maryland Department of Environment for more than 25 years and was proud of his work. During his early years, he traveled abroad and built a close bond to Jaleh’s children, especially the youngest, Shabnam. In 1991, on a trip to Iran, Amin met up with an old friend, Farzaneh, for tea. The energy and love must have been instant and strong because Amin hastily asked her to marry and move to the United States with him. In March of 1992, Farzaneh and her daughter, Yeganeh, joined Amin in Columbia, Maryland. Although not a father before, Amin fit right into his role. He became known as "Dad" or "Daddychee" and took Yeganeh under his wing as he made weekly trips to the library, camping across the United States, and visiting national parks and museums. It was his mission to make sure his little girl saw America through his eyes. His love for the environment was present in all their family trips - often biking trails and setting up campfires along the river in Shenandoah National Park. On the weekends when at home, Amin volunteered at the local public library, giving his daughter another excuse to be surrounded by books. Once diagnosed in 2010 with Parkinson’s Disease, Amin’s love for research became apparent in his pursuit of understanding the condition. He attended university seminars, read research studies and participated in support groups. Amin became an avid contributor to research and studies of Parkinson’s. It was during this time that he began to take exercise, of the brain and body, even more seriously. Amin devoted time to reading, exercising, solving puzzles and playing backgammon even more than before. It was perhaps these efforts, or maybe the grace of God or by chance, that allowed him to live well for over a decade with a condition that shows no mercy. In his last year of life, Amin was the happiest when with his granddaughter, Mandana. It was playing with her that he would laugh and temporarily forget about any pains and physical restrictions. His sense of humor, passion for poetry, knowledge in international affairs, and excitement for the outdoors is often not found in one person. He can’t be replaced and forever will be missed. Amin is survived by his wife, Farzaneh, daughter, Yeganeh, son-in-law, Shelton, granddaughter, Mandana, nephew, Vahid, and nieces, Sheida, Shirin and Shabnam. A celebration of life will be held at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Saturday, April 9 from 11:30 am until his funeral service begins at 12:30 pm. Interment will immediately follow at Lakemont Memorial Gardens, Davidsonville, MD. The family invites all guests to early dinner after the services conclude. Details will be provided the day of. Amin supported dozens of charities, both local and afar. Following his passion for the environment, he was a loyal member of the Sierra Club. In addition, Amin spent 25 years working in Baltimore and often supported local charities. The House of Ruth in Baltimore, supporting women experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence, became a frequent place of donation. To support either charity in honor and memory of Amin, please visit https://www.sierraclub.org/ and https://hruth.org/. Alternatively, Parkinson’s research is on-going and in need of support. Please visit https://www.michaeljfox.org/ for details on donations. The family encourages you to leave a memory about Amin by visiting the link on this page.