It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Mr. Rezvanollah Vahdat, who passed away peacefully at home on January 19th, 2022. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Mrs. Ozra Ghavami, his children Jamie (Homayoun), Homeira, Hooman, and Hoda, daughter-in-law Juvy Vahdat (Costa), sons-in-law Shahrdad Kourangi and Stanley Wall, and granddaughters Shakeela and Shaadee.

Born in Iran on September 16th, 1930 as the eldest of three brothers, he spent his formative years on his father’s farm. It was during this period that he developed his lifelong attachment to nature, and some of his children’s fondest memories of him are helping him plant purple and yellow pansies in his garden, especially on the occasion of Naw-ruz, the Persian New Year.

The family moved to Tehran, the capital city of Iran, when Rezvanollah was 12 years old. In his teens, as the eldest son of the family, he worked during the day while attending night school, finishing high school in 3 years. He was accepted into the prestigious Shiraz University, majoring in Persian Literature. During this period, he was married and became a father for the first time.

Returning to Tehran after completing his Bachelor of Arts, he went to work for Radio Iran as a writer, later earning a Masters in Business Administration and a Technological Degree in Laboratory Sciences.

He worked for many years as a civil servant for the Ministry of Tourism and Information, and later on for Secret Bulletin, an organization that synthesized national and international news on a daily basis for perusal by the government.

In his post retirement years, he returned to a career he had held briefly in his younger days in a medical laboratory which while different than his main focus, was a position he enjoyed.

In 1994, he immigrated to Canada to reunite his family, as two of his children had already moved there years earlier. He loved his new country deeply. A lover of nature all his life, he was awed by the natural beauty of the landscape, and loved to spend time outdoors. In the summer, he spent many hours planting flowers in his garden, which he cherished.

An avid lover of literature and poetry, he was known to have stored in his memory a Persian poem appropriate for every occasion. He was a lifelong practitioner of the Baha’i faith, the principles of which formed the central foundation of his life. He possessed a gentle soul and was known among his family and many friends for his kindness and radiant smile. He embodied the golden rule in the truest sense of the word and many stories of his generosity and goodwill have been shared with his family.

While his accomplishments were many, he was a deeply humble man, and his calm and measured counsel was the guiding light of his children’s lives. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.


"Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succour in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise."

- Baha’u’llah


In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the memorial service will be a private family event. The gravesite ceremony, open to all, will be held on January 29th, 2022 at 3:00pm at:

Elgin Mills Cemetery
1591 Elgin Mills Rd. East
Richmond Hill, Ontario