Zainab Khanakah
1962-2018
Zainab Hussein Ahmed Khanakah was born on March 16, 1962 in Kirkuk, Iraqi Kurdistan. Zainab’s father Hussein Ahmed Khanakah and mother Aje Hamid Khalil were both from Iraqi Kurdistan. In 1974, Zainab, at the age of 12, was forced to migrate and reside in Iran as a refugee because of the political repression of the Kurds by the Iraqi government.
Her father was a mostly self-taught poet, historian, and political scientist, and had a deep love of Kurdish, Persian, and Arabic literature. At home he stressed the importance of education, independence, and a strong work ethic to his children and Zainab embodied all these values throughout her life.
Upon immigrating to the United States in 1981 as a refugee and having no papers reflecting her educational background, she first had to obtain her general equivalency degree to enter college. Eventually, she began studying at Rocky Mountain College in Billings Montana, where she studied chemistry. She met her future husband, Myron E. Hinsdale, during this time, and the two moved from Billings to Fort Collins, CO to attend Colorado State University. There she obtained her B.S. in Chemistry in 1987. Myron and Zainab were married in 1984.
Always working in the laboratory as a student, and later as a chemist for companies such as Lockheed Martin, she and her growing family moved from Colorado to Nevada, Alabama, North Carolina, and finally Oklahoma. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1992. No matter where she was, life-long friends were made effortlessly because of her strong empathy with international students and immigrants. She took joy in helping others acclimate and adjust to the United States. Her ability to connect and to find common ground with people she met endeared her to friends and strangers alike. Zainab advocated for Kurdish refugees and was active in educating about the Kurdish culture and situation throughout her life. Zainab also very much enjoyed gardening, country music, Car-Talk, the Sunday Puzzler, and Masterpiece Theater.
Zainab is survived by her husband of 34 years Myron E. Hinsdale, and their four children Vianne, Mason, Ashton, and Lanah. In addition, she is survived by her siblings Gizzing, Gelas, Fatima, Ahmed, Chira, Geziza, Shayee, and her nephews Rebbaz, Joseph, CJ, Aaron, and her nieces Shaween, Hanna, Miryem, Shawnim, Deellan, Lareh, Jennifer, Sien, Elaina, Jamie, and Rachel.
Services will be held at Crossings Community Church at 14600 Portland Ave., Oklahoma City 73134 in the chapel on the 8th of February at 11 am. Flowers can be sent to Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, OK (https://matthewsfuneralhome.com/). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clearity Foundation (http://www.clearityfoundation.org/) in Zainab’s name.