On July 30th, 2021, Aliya Z. Shamsud-Din peacefully went home to be with the Lord. Although she had many struggles with her health, dealing with being a dialysis patient for sixteen years, having had multiple surgeries, too numerous to count – she fought through all these hardships to stay here for her family, and did so with a beautiful smile. Never giving up!
Born June 15, 1972 at Bess Kaiser Hospital to Mable Allen (Na’Imah Shamsud-Din) and Willie Torrence (Solomon Sharief) she was a beautiful baby girl, with a head full of thick, dark, curly hair.
Raised in Portland, Oregon Aliya’s education included Vernon Elementary, Whitaker Middle School, Benson Polytechnic High; she received her diploma from John Marshall High school. Aliya studied college courses in Psychology online and had planned to go to school for business.
Aliya’s passion was cooking, with dreams of owning a bakery/restaurant. Anyone who’s tasted her cooking knows she would’ve done well in this venture! If you’ve had her cooking or delicious baked treats, you’ve felt her love…. She poured her love into everything she made.
Aliya was preceded in death by parents Na’Imah Shamsud-Din and Willie Torrence, grandparents Isaac and Geneva Allen & Willie and Dorothy Torrence, sister Ayesha Shamsud-Din Rasberry, brothers Jeffery, Jerome and Taji Shamsud-Din, and her son Demond Hart Jr (DJ).
Aliya leaves to cherish her memory daughter/son-in-law Kayla and Marcus McCauley (grands Jeremiah and Kaliyah McCauley), daughter Shoné Shamsud-Din (grands Zeriah Morrison, Dezmond and Landon Clifton), daughter Aliya J. Sweet, sisters Sheila Torrence, Sherrena Torrence Saint Preux, and Kalima Torrence (nieces/nephew Tyrisha & Maleka Blake, Obidigbo Nkwonta) all of Portland, OR, sisters Pamela Torrence Black and Wanda Torrence of Atlanta, GA, brothers Bilal Shamsud-Din and Matthew Lilly both of Portland, OR, Ife Ina (fka Mark Lilly) of Washington State, Auntie Mariah Taylor, and Uncle Isaka Shamsud-Din both of Portland, OR, Auntie Rosemary Banks of New Jersey, Auntie Judy Torrence McAfee (Clifford) of Washinton State, niece & nephew Jhada and A’Jem (TJ) Shamsud-Din, nephew Kieth Rasberry (Joshua Rasberry) both of Atlanta, lifelong friend Louis Lewis III, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. A whold lotta folks! …more family, friends; a super squad of cousins ~ will also be missing her.
Condolences(3) 
Dominique LaBaw says
August 20, 2021 at 2:43 pmWe’ve carried your name like a psalm in our hearts from the moment we heard you were gone. You sweetened our lives with your welcoming grace and made each one of us proud.
I treasure every message you ever gave me, cousin, and the soulful words you shared the day before you went beyond the stars.
We’ll miss you every moment of our lives, Aliya and your beloved DJ.
Your heart was a garden of love.
💔💔💔💔
Tequala Smith says
August 20, 2021 at 10:36 pmSweet Dear Aunt Aliya, Oh How I’ll Miss You So! You’ve Always Given Me So Much Love Since We Came In Contact With Each Other. I Haven’t Seen You Since My Fathers Funeral (Jerome Shamsud-din) But Always Made Plans To Meet Up Again. A Few Days Before Your Passing, You Sent A Big Box Of Clothes To My Daughter Caliyah, Who You Absolutely Adored! I’ll Always Cherish Our Conversations, You Were Absolutely Amazing And I Love You So Much!!
Robert and Teresa Gladfelder says
August 24, 2021 at 5:36 pmAliya will be missed she was always so perfect and a beautiful woman with a heart of gold. My husband wS also a dialysis patient and he would always come home home and tell me she said hi. You are all in our prayers and the good lord need a angel and she was called home.