Obituary of Yamini Shadeed Abdullah

Yamini Abdullah, aka, Be’be’ (Bay-Bay) Blair was a big man that came from a small town in the South. On September 19, 1944, he was born in Sikeston, Missouri to Roberta and Odester Blair. He spent only a few years there before his family relocated to Niles, Michigan, where he lived and died. He leaves behind six siblings Charles Blair, Robert Hassan, Dorie Blair, Bayyinah Muhammad, Vernessa Blair, and Wilma J. Blair Reed. He was preceded in death by his sisters Catherine (Blair) Moore, Armelene (Blair) Gray, and his two brothers Cleve and James Blair. Be’be’, was the father of four children, Hassan, Omar, Askia, who preceded him in death, and his daughter Sahar. He taught his children how to ride motorcycles, drive stick shifts, plow snow, and garden, however, his most important lesson was the value of hard work. He also was a grandfather of eight. You knew he loved his grandkids because he would make their lunches, put them on the school bus and wait for them at the end of the day. Most days you would find “Paw Paw,” as they liked to call him squished up at the end of his couch, longing for the time when he could watch the news, but stuck watching cartoons. In his younger years, dad loved spending his time riding his Harley around town on a sunny day. He only had a couple of hobbies, one of which was roller skating, yes, the big guy could rock with the best them on a pair of skates. The second was taking photographs, he took so many pictures he could have been considered an amateur photographer. Dad was a straightforward guy that would tell you exactly what he thought, even if you didn’t ask, and most of the time no one was asking. He was quick-witted without trying and often offered unconventional “nuggets” of wisdom that were only for private consumption. At times it was surprising how much he knew about the behavior of people. Yamini worked many years at Clark Equipment Company in Buchanan, MI, before it closed, then taking other jobs, at Dexter Wheel and Rim before retiring from McCoy Miller in Elkhart. When asked about boredom from not working, he would always reply, “It beats getting up at 5 am, I’ve done my time.” During his retirement, he spent his days watching way too much CNN, Fox News and any other cable news outlet that required their guest panels to constantly argue. He also liked to sit in his chair under the tree in his front yard and just chill, watching everything and everyone going by. Askia would often ask, “Why is daddy always sitting under that tree?” It was a place of peace and contentment for him. In the end, Yamini Abdullah was a simple man that led a simple life. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him. He passed away peacefully on March 2, 2020, at his home, with his daughter by his side. He was 75 years old. Family and friends are welcome to pay their last respects at the service for Yamini Abdullah. A viewing will be held on Monday, March 9th, from 12 to 2 pm at Brown Funeral Home in Niles followed by the service at 2 pm.