Pauline Shakir

Pauline Khalilah Shakir was born on March 31, 1948, in Oakland, Mississippi, to the late James and Azzie Lee Booker. She was the second of her siblings: Pearl, James, Jesse, Willie, Larry, Kelvin and Kathy. The Booker family later moved north and made Chicago their home, putting down roots that would last for generations.

In 1993, Pauline moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she became a homeowner and built a new circle of friends. She was a devoted daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to so many. Pauline spent her life devoted to loving everyone who crossed her path. To know Pauline was to know joy. She taught us to live life to the fullest, making the most of every opportunity and loving everyone along the way.

Throughout her life, Pauline worked in multiple careers with skill and pride. She was a real estate agent, an appraiser, and later worked in licensing at Citicorp, where she eventually retired. She had a passion for justice, peace, and equality and would never settle for "no." Outside of her family, her greatest joy was traveling abroad. She was an adventurous cruiser who traveled to destinations including Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Bahamas. She loved traveling so much that she became a travel agent and founded her own company, Pauline Shakir Travel and Events.

When she was home, Pauline enjoyed fellowshipping with members of her church and her community at Phillips Tower. You could always find her listening and dancing to jazz, old-school R&B, blues, and gospel music. Pauline also had an eye for fashion, style, and presentation. She took what she had and made it "fly." She was definitely the best dressed at every event and believed in dressing up like you were headed somewhere—even if you weren't.

Those left to cherish Pauline's memory are her siblings and their spouses, James (Melvina), Kelvin (Shantae), and Kathy (Immanueal); her beloved sons and their spouses, Anthony (Toney) and Karim (Maria); her grandchildren and their spouses, Lemaar (Donnaree), Jasmine, Keesa (Lyndell), Anthony, Javian, Christopher, and Amia; and her great-granddaughters, Aaliyah, Kalea, and Kamia, all of whom brought her great joy.

Pauline loved the Lord, and her faith in Christ was the strength that carried her through each day. We cannot thank Decatur Presbyterian Church enough for being her faithful community throughout the latter years of her life. Her heart was larger than many of us could have imagined. With her passing, our family lost not only a beloved relative but also a remarkable keeper of stories, relationships, and family history. Her light and joy will continue to shine in the hearts of all those she touched. We do not continue in sorrow alone but walk forward with hope and steadfast faith because, as Pauline would say, "It's all in divine order."

In honor of Pauline, a local Islamic community is establishing a running water well in Kumasi, Ghana, as an ongoing charitable contribution, ensuring that her legacy lives on through continuous acts of kindness.

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