Inna lilla he wa inna elaihe rajioun

The mother of Br. Dawood Zwink, Vivian May Zwink passed away late on the night of April, 22nd at 11:20 p.m. while resting peacefully at the Long-Term Memory Care Home in Larned, Kansas USA. As the matriarch of the Robert A. Zwink family, she was approaching her 98th birthday on May 14th. She leaves behind, six children of whom Dawood is the oldest. Muhammad Zwink and Jez Gariepy help make a total of 18 grandchildren. There are also 20 great-grand-children, with an additional 2 great-great-grand-children.


Grandmother Vivian was a deeply spiritual person who met her husband while attending Manhattan Bible College. From that faith-based origin and love of God, Dawood grew into Islam and declared his kalama shahaada in 1972. Today, his entire branch of the Zwink Family is virtually all Muslim. As a part of the IIT community, Br. Dawood was instrumental in the launch and development of the 163rd IIT Scout Group between 2006 – 2012, and also worked for a time as the General Manager of IIT in 2009 and 2010.


Br. Dawood and his family are thankful for your support and request that you offer prayers in the following manner if you would like, “Oh Allah, You have created her. You have provided for her, and now You have taken her back. We beseech You, give her the best now according to your will. Ameen.”

Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return” – they are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. 2:155-157