Mr. Khalifa K. Kalimah

KALIMAH, Mr. Khalifa - Age 76, passed away Monday, April 29, 2024, at Omni Continuing Care, Detroit, MI. Family hour 1:00 PM Wednesday, May 1, 2024, from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with Janazah Service commencing at 1:30 PM. Interment Garden of Peace Cemetery, 1310 S. Morrish Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the funeral hone 1:00 PM Wednesday. Mr. Khalifa Kaba Kalimah was born August 8, 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Dorothy( Smith) Beard and Lonnie Crawford. Mr. Kalimah became a resident of Flint, Michigan in 1975, coming from Detroit, MI to be with his wife and children. He was of the Muslim Faith and an avid studier of Imam W Deen Mohammed Tapes. He studied Social Work at University of Michigan and Accounting at Jordan college in Flint. Mr. Kalimah was a self-employed Landscaper, which he enjoyed. He would even cut some seniors’ grass and shovel their snow in the winter for free. They depended on him every year. Mr. Kalimah was a member of the Black Panther Party and was instrumental in starting the first free breakfast program in Detroit. He was a Revolutionary that believed in fighting for the people. Khalifa enjoyed watching karate movies in their original language with his sons. One of their favorite movies was Pumpkin Head and the line they will always remember “He wants you to Ed Harley”. Mr. Kalimah loved his mothers cooking and expressed that was one of the favorite parts of his life. Khalifa was a true alfa man, that believed in Allah, living a moral life, and taking care of his family. He was a goodhearted no-nonsense man. Anybody could get it, both barrels. His heart was always in the right place. He wanted his family to thrive, if he was not happy in life with the way you were living, he would say “I’m disappointed in your life” which was his favorite thing to say. To be knowledgeable, to be respectful to love your family and love God. Mr. Khalifa Kaba Kalimah leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Andriana (Kalimah) Smith of Flint; 6 children, 4 sons, Deon Clark, Damiekco (Melisa) Smith, Tamiekco (Jamila)( Kenja) Smith and Shanta (Shonte) Smith; 2 daughters, Aisha Kalimah and Ajeenah; 17 grandchildren, Ajeenah Kalimah, Jordan (Caityn) Gott, Jaslyn Gott, Tamiekco Smith, Tyne Smith, Ty Smith, Tayla Smith, Jada Smith, Leah Smith, Eli Smith. Kalimah Bush, Amir Bush, Christian Kalimah, Caleb Kalimah, Nathan Austin, Noah Austin and Mia Kalimah; great-granddaughter, Celice Gott; mother, Dorothy (Smith) Beard; 2 sisters, Dorothea (Christopher) Miller and Tangee Mayes; 2 brothers, Leotha Beard and Finis Beard III; nieces, Khalila Hammond, Channell and Ebony Flemming; aunt, Ophelia Lockette; cousin, Michael Maxwell; a host of other relatives and friends including special friends, Cecilia Young, Margaret Nelson, Tracy Martin, Sarita Nelson and Charles Brown. Mr. Kalimah was preceded in death by his father, Lonnie Crawford; step-father, Finis (Bill) Beard II; grandmother, Leona Maxwell; mother-in-law, Margaret Holmes; uncles, Roy Maxwell and Coley Maxwell; aunts, Lucille Griffen and Eddie Bee Smith; brothers, Charles Beard, Derik Beard, Ray Beard and Lawrence Smith; cousin, Michael Smith.

Mr. Khalifa K. Kalimah

August 18, 1947 - April 29, 2024