Mr. Abdul Rashad Diaab

Abdul-Rashad Diaab was born January 14, 1947 in Franklin County, Virginia to the late James Peeples and Clossie Mae Darden of Virginia. He attended Norfolk Public Schools and was the Valedictorian of his graduating class from Riverview High School in 1965. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966 during the Vietnam War, where he served as a Combat Medic in the Medical Corpsman. He achieved the rank of Specialist and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star and a Marksman badge before being honorably discharged in 1968. After relocating to Milwaukee for employment opportunities with General Electric in 1971, Abdul met the love of his life Lillie Mae Rouse. To this union one child, Yoruba was born in 1972. Abdul accepted Christ in his life as a young boy and later converted to Islam, after which he formally changed his name from Ray Bernard Darden (“RB”) to Abdul-Rashad Diaab in September 1978. As a lifelong learner he was a renaissance man with a vast array of interests and skills including law, general contracting, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Abdul attended multiple institutions and ultimately received his undergraduate degree in International Relations & Pre-Law Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1981. Additionally, he earned several professional certifications in fields including healthcare, legal research, and home improvement contracting. His passions were rooted in cultural and ethnic arts, history, and the advancement of African Americans. He advocated for countless military veterans through numerous organizations and community initiatives to ensure they received their maximum benefits. His hobbies included film, photography, and music with a special appreciation for live instrumentation. Abdul was a jazz enthusiast through and through as a bass player in the jazz/rock band Clear Evidence and even played with one of his musical idols, Muddy Waters. However, most people were acquainted with him through his ability to captivate and impart knowledge through artful storytelling. Abdul was a proud cancer survivor demonstrating his immense strength and resolve as he went into remission in 2021. He was loved by all who knew him and will be greatly missed but God loved him best and took him home to rest on August 7, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Peeples and Clossie Mae Cox (Sam Cox) and his sister, Neva Blow (Tony), father and mother-in-law Hosea Rouse, Sr. and Magnolia (whom he fondly referred to as Ms. Maggie) Rouse, brothers-in-law Algie Lee (Veronica) Johnson and Michael (Lois) Rouse, and sister-in-law Leola (Joseph) Rouse-Dalton. Abdul’s Legacy Abdul leaves to cherish his memory his daughter, Yoruba Cook of Round Rock, TX; granddaughters, Akilah Mason of Milwaukee, WI and Samara Cook of Atlanta, GA; grand-son, Samad Cook of Harker Heights, TX; Lillie Mae Rouse of Milwaukee, WI; special nephew, Cheyenne Rouse, special niece, Dalya Rouse both of Milwaukee, WI; brother, Wayne Darden (Patricia Darden) of Chesapeake, VA; sister, Carolyn McMurray of Virginia Beach, VA; aunts Jessie Moore of Washington D.C., Gladys Wiggins and Callie Mae Jones both of Norfolk, VA; uncle Leober Darden of Norfolk, VA; nieces Krystal (Alton) Sweeny and Briana Blow both of Virginia Beach, VA; Sabrina Darden of Chesapeake, VA; son-in-law Samuel Cook III, brothers-in-law, Hosea Rouse, Jr., Dean (Denise) Rouse, Ronal Rouse, and Larry Rouse all of Milwaukee, WI, and his sisters-in-law Viola Rouse of Milwaukee, WI and Victoria (Marcus) Rouse-Marzette of Beloit, WI; and a host of cherished friends, family and associates across the globe.

Mr. Abdul Rashad Diaab

January 14, 1947 - August 7, 2022