Aossey, Amin

Amin Aossey was born to Naomi Farris Aossey on May 25, 1976, in Cedar Rapids.

Amin left behind his mother; father, Bill Aossey; brothers, Bill Yahya Jr. and Jalel; and five beautiful nephews and nieces.

Amin attended Cleveland and Roosevelt schools, graduated from Jefferson High and attended Kirkwood Community College. He transferred to Seattle, Wash., for computer studies and biochemistry research.

During Amin's junior high school year he and his brother Jalel were selected to attend a special summer International Language program at Mount Hermon, Vt. College. The following year in 1992, the two brothers were chosen with 15 other national high school students to attend The American University of Cairo for the summer in Arabic studies and cultural exchange - a lifelong experience!

Over the years Amin, with his father and brothers, had the opportunity to travel and visited Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Amin was a gifted writer even in his young life. His mind was brilliant for those who really knew him! His mind was as quick and sharp as his I-Pad and I-Phone!

His grandmother, MeheabaAossey, spoiled all her grandchildren to no end with D.Q. andgoing to the parksand how he loved calling her to take him to Kmart.

He loved Nintendo and Super Mario at a young age and beat every ‘game-level' and crossed the password blocks within hours of having a new game or program.

It was as though he had a compass constantly resetting and re-navigating his thought and actions in his life on this earth!

His mind and soul could only find so much peace in this earthly life.

He believed in his religion and God and faced lymphoma cancer with a clear mind and a strong spirit, always believing he would prevail over any shortcomings. But on the Day of God's choosing, in the end God knows best, for He is the Creator and to Him Amin returned.

During one of his chemo treatments at Mayo he was sitting in the waitingarea behind a group of five elderly people and he overheard them talking about their medical conditions and also talking so harshly about Islam and Muslims. He turned to them and gave his sympathies about their health problems and visited more than 15 minutes.They thought for a young person talking to elderly people, he was one of the most compassionate and understanding they ever met. Then he asked if they had ever met a Muslim. “No, not really that we recall.”“Well, I want to introduce you to your first one!”They asked him to stay for almost another hour with them and Amin visited with them on every occasion he saw them at Mayo. They learned to love him;  this was another side of our Amin. Never a moment of bitterness.

For Amin, humanity was over materialism! He loved his Rollerblade over the pollution of a car - gliding 20-30 miles a day even while struggling with cancer and taking chemotherapy - he never stopped, even up to the last day he had his Rollerblade. Amin never ‘knew a stranger' as he approached life with an openness and a sense of belonging. If Amin ever saw a person in need he never hesitated to ask why or how? I can't remembered how many times when traveling he would say, “Dad, let's go back and get them something to eat.”

He would even Rollerblade and go out of his way to help. He loved God's creation of animals and he would never leave a stray animal to be left abandoned nor would he leave a run-over pet or animal in a street without removing it.

As a father I have never forgotten when Amin was maybe 6 or 7. Amin loved Christmas seasons and snow so much that he wrote poems about snow.

The Salvation Army Bell Ringing was like the calling of a 'ringing magnet' for Amin! He never passed a bell ringer without putting money in what he called “The Little Red Can“ I still remember we were leaving the Hy-Vee and I got about $5 in change back, and Amin, at 6, said to me, “Dad, give me the change. I thought he wanted to hold it for me - so I gave it to him and before I knew it, off he ran to the “Little Red Can.” “Maybe somebody needs it he would say.”

When Amin was studying in Seattle, we were just reminded here at the office how he called our office and wanted Thanksgiving turkeys sent to a women's homeless shelter in Seattle that he was helping. We said we would send money and buy all the turkeys needed. “No, I want you to send them Dad because I don't want just any turkeys from any store, I want yours; they are the best!” The FedEx cost more than the turkeys, but he was so happy when they were delivered on time from Iowa. And again at Christmas it was turkeys for the Seattle Food Kitchen at his request and this was the way it was each and every year he stayed in Seattle. It made Amin so thankful to help others.

The great Persian poet, writer and philosopher Omar Khayyám wrote from the ‘Rubaiyat': “Some people are of this world, and some are of the next world.” It is hard for a father to believe in life that his son may go to His Creator before the parents and brothers. “Then you will be One and Join the Sun.”

Only The Lord of the Universe, the Most Merciful, the mercy giving knows what is best and what is truly God's way to grant Amin peace and blessings, for He is the Creator and the One to return to.

When Amin was no more than 7, it was a beautiful spring day and I can still remember when he came running in from the backyard and said I need paper and pencil to write something. One of his first writings without thought or changing a line or a word flowed out:

 “Flower of Light”

Can you smell the flowers that have just bloomed from April showers?

If your soul is fresh and pure you will find a delightful cure.

When you find the roses pink, your mind and soul will link.

Then you will be one and join the sun.

(What did a 7-year-old understand about the soul, mind and linking in the sun?)

When Amin was 12, he wrote what we strive for today!

 “People”

People are like stars that shine so bright,

We light up the sky in the darkest night.

Each of us different, yet all the same.

The greed for money will soon be a game.

Competitions, races, bets in all,

For each of these ‘games' will be our downfall.

We must learn to ‘fight' in a way of peace.

To stop all wars and put all fights to a cease!

No one man or women is ruler of All!

We do not kneel, bow nor crawl.

We greet each other with a simple hello.

This will show our friendship and let it glow.

Stick together in our time of need,

None should starve, with bread and water we can feed all.

So our Amin kept writing over the years to the end but in the last years he denied me his thoughts as He thought they would not be understood ... “They are too deep to understand now!“

As we washed and wrapped him in clean white rose scent cloth to meet his Creator, Amin had a peaceful and restful gaze on his face - I am already to go as I have faith in my Lord!

Amin left this worldly place without his name on a book or building but His ‘footprint' of life on friends and family will be forever remembered.

So Amin Aossey was laid to rest on May 5, 2012, in the historic Muslim National Cemetery on Bowling Street, established in 1947 by his Grandfather Hj, William Yahya Aossey, as the first Islamic Cemetery in North America.

May God rest Amin's soul with peace and comfort along with all who have passed before him. And give mercy to all of us who will follow.

In 40 days there will be a memorial service and dinner in Amin's memory.

Each and every morning at sunrise a prayer was always recited for Amin.Now each and every sunset another different prayer will be recited for Amin.When Amin was laid to rest this past week, the same night, there was the biggest halo around a big full moon shining over the good earth covering Amin! We will always love and miss our Amin as he lives on in our hearts and lives.

On this Mother's Day he will have special remembrance.

Published May 13, 2012 in The Gazette