Naazir Siraj Yamini was born to Hakim and Janice Yamini on December 24, 1979 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. On Saturday, September 21, 2019, Naazir unexpectedly passed away in his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
Naazir, the youngest of three children, was raised with his older brother and sister, Mikal and Najah, in Decatur, Georgia. After graduating from Lakeside High School in Atlanta in 1998, Naazir attended Troy University in Troy, Alabama where he starred as a middle linebacker on the football team, finishing his football career as 4th all time in tackles. While at Troy, he joined and became a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Information Systems in 2003 and his Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Information Systems in 2004. While earning his MBA, he served as an administrative graduate assistant for the Troy University Athletic Department.
Naazir moved back to Atlanta in June 2004 where he started his professional career, which ultimately led to the job that would change his life forever. On the recommendation of his brother Mikal, Naazir was hired as a Restaurant Launch Project Manager at Hudson Grille in downtown Atlanta in 2008. On the evening of November 7, 2009, the night of the Alabama - LSU football game, Naazir would meet the love of his life, Brooke Allyson Carter. It was Brooke, a University of Alabama graduate, surrounded by her college friends, who would ask Naazir out on their first date. After an almost four-year courtship, Naazir and Brooke were married on October 5, 2013.
Naazir and Brooke would begin their blissful marriage in Atlanta, where they would remain for four years during which Naazir would also begin fulfilling his career goals by serving as a Global Operations Manager for The Home Depot at its corporate office. Naazir and Brooke would move to St. Louis, Missouri in 2017 in connection with a job opportunity for Brooke, but he would quickly land on his feet as a Program Manager for World Wide Technology—a role that brought him both significant personal and professional happiness. Also an entrepreneur, Naazir started his own retail operations consulting company with his family in 2017, which afforded him an opportunity to work with those he loved most.
Naazir was happiest when he was with Brooke. A perfect match, they conquered the world together—always cheering each other on, whether privately to each other, in front of their friends, or on social media. Naazir and Brooke enjoyed traveling together, touring vineyards, cooking, and living an active and healthy lifestyle. Naazir also enjoyed scuba diving, gardening, the latest gadgets and technology, comedy, and learning new things and perspectives on the world and the people around him.
He leaves to cherish his memory a loving and devoted wife of nearly 6 years, Brooke, his parents, Hakim Yamini and Janice Yamini, his brother Mikal, his sister Najah, his half-sister, Kimberly Huggins, his father-in-law, Billy Carter, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bryan and Kathryn Carter, his nephews and nieces, Kamea, Keani, Kealani, and Henry, his aunt Shelley Cheatham, his best friend Frederick Pellum, and his dogs, Madison and Marley.
Acknowledgment is given to special friends, to include: Naazir’s teammates on the Troy University football team, his fraternity brothers from Omega Psi Phi, and his friends and colleagues from The Home Depot and World Wide Technology.
Naazir was a devoted husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He was a gentle, thoughtful and generous soul. He will be dearly missed by family and friends, who all count themselves as grateful to have crossed paths with Naazir on his earthly journey. He was always evolving, fearless but calculated in the risks he took in pursuit of his dreams, and limitless with the love he showed to all who knew him. We take solace in the midst of our pain because we know that we will see Naazir’s brilliant smile and hear his infectious laugh again one day. But for now, our dear Naazir belongs to the heavens.
