Grandpa was all about Christmas time with the family. Some of my fondest memories include spending Christmas and New Years with him in New York and having Christmas dinner at his house in Tennessee. Christmas is already everyone's favorite holiday, but he always brought it to a whole new level. Food, food, and more food. Grandpa and Christmas; could you name a better duo?

As a teenager, Grandpa introduced me to the Burrito Ministry. What started as an obligatory community service credit for high school turned into a series of special bonding moments with my grandpa. It showed me a side of him that I never knew, and I'll always cherish those memories. I'm happy to carry his legacy as an avid supporter of the Nashville Burrito Ministry, and I hope you will too.

My grandpa Sham is the embodiment of the American dream. Grandpa, an immigrant with nothing more than a few dollars in his pocket, left Trinidad to fight for a better life for his family. His sacrifice broke the curse of generational poverty and secured the luxury of being an American for future generations. Every day I get to live my own dream while fulfilling his. How lucky am I?

I love you, grandpa. Rest in peace.

I grew up on 115th street and attended Broadway church, I have many memories / stories of Sham, these are two that have always stood out for me. Sham and his food! For my sweet 16 (which was at the church) I had asked Sham to make his chicken wings (even though I was vegetarian) as everyone spoke so highly of them.  When Sham showed up with a big tray, I was so grateful. When I started to thank him, he said "there is more"... you would have thought we were feeding a small village with the amount of chicken wings Sham prepared! Quantity control might not have been his strength, but quality of cooking was always on point. Everyone enjoyed them and actually almost finished them.
As a younger child, I grew up in the neighborhood with Rachel and Jasmine and my sister Natalie. We used to love running ahead of our parents, especially picking up speed going down hills. Sham had this incredible whistle with his fingers that you could hear from blocks away.  When we heard the whistle we would hult to a stop, turn and see what the direction / issue was.  Sometimes I think he just had fun watching us trying to stop while running full speed down the hills... as we would turn to see what was going on and he would say nothing and tell us to go on. 

Sham you will be truly missed, grateful for the memories that will live on.

I have many memories of Sham who was like another parent to me growing up, as he was to many of his daughters friends.  One of my favorites is when he would ask jasmine and I to “walk on his back” and get the cracks out.   I was always amazed at how literal the instruction was, to walk up and down his back, and it made us laugh as we balanced our feet on either side of his spine- it was like his back was made of iron and we were the perfect weight to release some of its tension.  And then of course, the countless meals. I remember Sham repeatedly coaxing me to try something just a little bit spicy. It took years, but because of him I can bear a little hot sauce on my food.  The backup tubs of carmines pasta sauce in the second fridge. I remember him making me feel safe in his home on September 12, 2001, where I had spent the night before. Letting me know I could stay as long as I needed while the world was falling apart outside. So many things a remember, and so much I am grateful for with this man, this father, Sham Hosein.  

I’ll always remember Sham threatening to put us in the curry pot if we misbehaved. I actually believed he would cook me into a spicy curry. Also, I’ll always miss his curry. I love you and miss you, Sham.

I never thought in my life I would have a friend like Sham.  This man from Trinidad, via New York City, and me, a country boy who grew up in a small town in West Tennessee.  The first time I met Sham was at Hermitage Fitness.  I was walking around the track and I kept hearing someone talking to me from behind.  I was always pushed for time to work out because I was on my lunch break.  Finally, I stopped long enough to talk with him.  So glad I did.  We were good friends from that moment on.  Sham was always looking for people to volunteer for the Burrito Ministry and he finally got me committed to go serve.  So glad I did.  By meeting this one man, I was able to make so many more connections that enhanced my life.  He introduced me to some people who played music at Green Street Church and that was such a blessing to be able to use my talent to play there.  Sham would come to see us play on occasion.  He would always leave a little early so one time I asked him why he left before we were finished.  He said he had to go eat dinner.  Sham would also bring me food that he would make.  It was good, but spicy!  Didn't matter what he cooked, it would have a bite to it.  He even brought food to the gym for me to try or even take home with me.  I'll never forget his Baba Ganoush!  Sham wrote out these prayers each week and always made sure I got a copy and a copy from his Pastor friend.  I still have those prayers in a file, named Sham.  He would always call on me about every two weeks and see how I was doing and would asked about my baby girl(daughter).  In return, I would ask him how he and his family were doing.  That was about the gist of the conversation.  He never would talk long.   My life changed the day I met Sham and it will never be the same without him.  I miss my friend and will always cherish our friendship.  I look forward to seeing him again in heaven.  Who knows, he may be the first one I see and introduce me to our Lord and Savior, Jesus!  Wayne R

Sham is person I think of when I think of Charter. It made such an impact with his Charter on my Life. I wouldn't have been able to do some of the things that I know I needed to do if it wasn't for the encouragement of Sham. I told Sham recently that he was an inspiration to me of a Devoted Faithful Servant. I heard it said one time "You can easily judge the Charter of a Man by the way he treats those who can do Nothing for Him " Sham was a Dedicated Servant and expected Nothing in Return. I have also heard another indicator of Charter is by how a person carries out Privileges and Responsibilities. Privileges are a special rights that most of us are granted but often fall short of incompassion with responsibilities. Responsibilities are often rewarded predominantly with Money. The same most of the time can not be said for privileges. When I think of Sham he wasn't a person that told you all he was doing , the people he was helping and making a difference for told you what he was doing. Sham put forth before us a Legacy to make a difference and his impact to continue even we he is no longer with us. 
Sham had one of the best Smiles I had ever seen. 
I recently met some of Sham's Children and they were so nice and kind just like their Father. He completed the Circle of Life for us to witness and has now returned to his innocence with our Father.I will miss him but memories I carry forward.

Jeff S
01/14/2022 

In reading the other tributes to Sham I am getting a fuller understanding that Sham expressed his boundless love for us through food ....

As a friend of Sham and fellow member of the Broadway Church community I worked with Sham to prepare many a pancake breakfast and many "curry delight" lunches. He was always prepared and had his own knives prepped. He ran the kitchen with military proficiency and the meals always came out "just so." I have always aspired to match his craftsmanship.

I knew that Sham loved me one Sunday when he gave me a jar of spicy sauce to take home. He warned me not to use metal utensils as the sauce would corrode them. That is when I knew that at some fundamental level I was family.

I still laugh at the memories of Thomas Abraham  who would invariably chastise Sham for not making the lunches spicy enough. THOSE WERE ABSOLUTELY THE DAYS!!  

Sham was a great man, friend, and Christian with a strong and steady faith. I miss him but know he led a life that pleased God.

My dear cousin spending time with you was always enjoyable,  I visit you in Manhattan and was impressed by the respect shown in the building  you manage. 
In September of 2018 I had the honor of helping you out when you had your knee surgery .It was great meeting your church family and your burrito family, it was even nicer when you go to the gym everyone had something nice to say about you
Church on Sunday was a must as soon as you were able to walk again 
Remember one of the members taking us to church as you won't quite ready to drive 
Most often after church we would go to eat sushi or take a drive into town, go to Joe's crabshack.
Although you always had cooked food in the house you always would treat me with something different. 
I appreciate the time spend with you,  I also remember the day you had 3 over ripe bananas and you were going to throw them out ,and I told you I will make banana bread 
Well after making that bread I was stuck as you would go to the grocery and buy the mark down over ripe bananas and I had my work cut out, then the sharing starts , the neighbors,  the burrito helpers and others
Your trips to Trinidad was always exciting  especially going to the beach, Maracas being your favorite for the bake and shark
Remembering all the fun time ,I must say that you had an enjoyable life and now you are with your Lord and Loved ones,  you are gone but won't be forgotten. 
Rest in eternal peace  until we meet again .







As a child, Sham was both the safest adult in the room as well as the most terrifying. I think it was his no bullshit tone mixed with a constant offer of food and jokes. 
In middle school I spent a string of nights in his home sleeping over with my soon-to-be stepsister Jasmine.  At one point he made the joke that used to make me shake in my knees: “I’m gonna put you in this pot and cook you for dinner” and I knew he meant it with love.  That’s when the fear officially went away and the feeling of safety took over.
At the time our families were in conflict due to Amy and my dad’s relationship. But he never once made me feel unwelcome. Thank you Sham for all the love you gave. We will carry it with us and try to share it with the world, just as you did. 

Sham always made us hot food, and he wanted to see your reaction when we tried it. He will be missed dearly.

I met Sham, the father of my best friend, Jasmine, shortly after I met her in our dorm suite at college. She took me down to visit him at their home on 59th Street and 1st Avenue, the building he was the super of. He wanted her to have  a home cooked meal. It was going to be curry.  At this stage of my life I was a picky eater - PB&J, pizza, bagels, a Cobb Salad was exotic to me - curry never once passed my lips. I smiled nervously at Sham while he excitedly told me what was on the menu - he couldn't wait for me to eat a home cooked meal: what were they serving us in the cafe at college? I didn't want to be rude - what if I didn't like it? The kitchen was filled of the aroma, my nerves turned up. Sham was so nice! I don't want to be rude! (This story ends well). To do this day curry is one of my favorite meal bases to make on my own - however, I can never get it quite close to what his tasted like. I will always think of Sham when I make my own curry. I will remember him in his kitchen on 59th and 1st with the bagel store around the corner that Jasmine also insisted on stopping by every time we were there, the amount of jokes he told and love he showed to his daughter, my friend, who I know will carry on his spirit wherever she is.

I didn’t know Sham but I have had the honor of getting to know his beloved daughter, Jasmine. I know how much she loved him and how much I’m sure, he loved her. My condolences to the whole family and especially to you, Jasmine, whose passion and love for those around you is evident to me every day. Rest in Power.

Sham "The Cool Dad with the Keys" Hosein will forever be a presence in the vivid memories of my childhood. Growing up in NYC and attending elementary school with both his daughters, Jasmine (my dear friend now) and Rachel, I always recall him arriving after the school day to pick them up.  His warm smile, cool vibes, and keys galore are permanently etched in my mind. His great energy was easily transferable and provided a calm I will never forget. Fast forward to adulthood, I had the pleasure on a few occasions to speak with Sham one on one and thank him for everything! He bestowed words of wisdom to my attentive ears and spoke glowingly about his family. I am sending my sincerest heartfelt condolences to his family. May God continue to bless you and please always remember to show love, affection, and bright smiles in the same manner as Sham Hosein. 
Love, Wayne Charles II 

I have many fond memories of Sham when we were friends in New York City many years ago.  He loved good food and taught me how to make a decent hacked chicken curry though mine was never as good as his.  No recipe, just intuition and common sense.  I remember him as an extraordinarily helpful person for whom nothing was ever  too much trouble.  My heartfelt condolences to Sham's family and loved ones, especially to Rachel and Jasmine.

The first time I met Sham I was an eighth grader and had just become great friends with his daughter Rachel. I ate something delicious and then the family asked me if I wanted to try it with some hot sauce. I swear I had no idea. Several spoonfuls of sugar and lots of laughter later, I believe I was officially part of the family. Since then I have enjoyed jars of hot sauce and kuchela, mac and cheese, carrot rice, doubles, and my forever favorite: beans. 

It is somehow fitting to lose Sham at Christmas as this is the season that I always think of him. Rachel and I had a routine on Christmas day that allowed us to eat from brunch until late. First, we ate at my family x-mas and then at hers. Sham always made more than enough food for me to take some home and then for us to eat leftovers the next day and the next! One year I believe he turned a vegetarian back into a meat eater with his cooking… Not only did I always enjoy eating at Sham’s home but I was always welcome there. I knew I could count on him (and Rachel) for anything I needed over the years. 
 
I feel so lucky to have been able to call Sham’s my second home. My life has been better in so many ways because of him. It does not surprise me that every tribute to him mentions how generous he was and how wonderful a cook. He was a genuinely good person who was dedicated to helping others. Thank you so much, Dad. You are so appreciated and so missed. 


My first memory of Sham didn't even involve meeting him. He was out of town the first weekend I came to NYC to visit Jasmine. I stayed in his apartment, where I was met with a large stand-up fridge full of food he had cooked in anticipation of my arrival. He was apparently, very excited that someone who ate meat (Jasmine was a Vegan at the time), was coming to stay for the weekend. I did all that I could to try to put a dent into a fridge full delicious food consisting of Roti, Curried Goat, Doubles, and more.  Keep in mind we had reservations at restaurants all weekend as well. When I finally met Sham almost 6 months later back in NYC, he gave me flack for not finishing all the food he had prepared, I tried to explain we were eating out all weekend and I put in all that work after dinners and meals out but it was to no avail. We ate dinner together and when I asked to try the hot sauces which were on display on the windowsill, he made sure to tell me to not go past the 4th jar as it would be too hot for me. When I dipped into the 6th jar, and said it was a bit hot for my likings he gave me a  “ I told you so” nod. From that point on I always felt welcome at their home, and constantly looked forward to receiving jars of hot sauce and eating his food upon arriving in NYC.  


Rest in Peace to a kind, loving great man, who will be greatly missed by his family, friends, church and all those who knew him. 

We were among the lucky ones that shared sham's
wonderful Christmas dinners. On Christmas day we will
always think of Sham's  generosity and kindness to all.
Love,
Brigitte and  Marvin Newman


My dear cousin was a great cook and loved sharing his food with the neighbors  Spending time with Sham in NYC and also in Nashville Tennessee the latter being 6weeks .Within that time I was privilege to attend church with him after which we would go to eat sushi 
We would drive around and go to see different sites
His neighbors were also like families and I was happy to see that everyone was looking forward to him when he was able to move around again 
I also enjoy doing the burrito evening and seeing the joy in face at the end of the evening 
You will be sadly missed  you served the Lord and he is  now with the Lord
May you REST IN ETERNAL PEACE AND RISE IN GLORY.
Condolences to his family and friends 
Bye cuz your suffering is over 


The Harte’s owe a debt of gratitude to Sham and family.  He always welcomed my daughter Brittany into his home when she visited with her good friend and buddy, Jasmine.   One memory that stands out is September 11th when The World Trade Towers fell.   We couldn’t go home and Jasmine and Brittany walked from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Sham’s home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She was so welcomed.  That’s the selfless heart Sham had and the love he showed to our family in our time of need.  My heart grieves his loss but I am comforted in knowing he is with The Father now.   Our sincerest condolences to the family.  With much love, Joyce and Victor Harte

















The sincerity and kindness I witnessed and experienced as a result of my friendship and shared Christian values with the deceased "Sham" Hosein will always linger with me in the most precious of ways. I was honored to serve along side Sham for many years as a Deacon at Broadway Presbyterian Church in NYC.  Sham's words and actions always measured up to the most basic and foundational aspects of our shared faith:  "Love thy neighbor as thyself". This was never more exemplified than when Sham would dazzle the whole congregation by sharing his exquisite culinary skills by preparing wonderful meals after church.  But this action was more than just preparing a meal for the congregation after church. It was a rendering of who Sham was at his core. The time and attention he gave to preparing the meals, and the taste of the food was synonomous with his ability to display complete selflessness in his care for and service to others. Thank you Sham for sharing your life with all of us. 
John Bradley
  

Even though there are many memories of daddy Sham that I’d best describe as heart-warming, the one that stands out most is from about 15 years ago. my living situation became unsafe, I was working, stressed out, and with absolutely no questions, no drama, and the warmest welcome I stayed at his please for about a week, being fed delicious food, and having a safe place to sleep, relax, and rest through a stressful time.  There were a few times he opened up his home to me in this way, never making me feel like I was imposing and really giving me exactly what I needed at the time to get back on my feet in a whole way. I learned what love and generosity are, and what safety feels like from him. humble and kind. I’ll look up to him as a role model forever. I Love you daddy Sham, may you rest in the purest love ❤️ 

OBITUARY

Shamshudeen "Sham" Hosein

June 1, 1944 – December 24, 2021

Hermitage Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens

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