Jim Raheen Obituary, Death – On June 25, 1943, the coupling of Emma Bogan-Gaston and Robert Gene Gaston resulted in the birth of Jim Raheen. In 1971, he became a member of the “ORIGINAL NATION OF ISLAM” under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad. Three years later, in 1972, he was appointed as a minister (also known as an Imam) by Philbert Omar. In 1973, Raheen became a founding member of the first temple in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and in 1975, he accepted Wallace Muhammad as the new head of the Nation of Islam.
In 1976, Raheen also adopted the new orientation toward Al-Islam that was practiced by the Nation of Muslims. In his role as Imam, Raheen became actively involved in a number of committees in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he represented the people living on the Northside of the city. He served as an Imam under the direction of Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, and one of the things he was involved in was the ministry that was conducted within prisons. Mr.
Jim was responsible for sales of financial services throughout the states of Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, and Missouri in his capacity as a Financial Manager. In the year 1994, Raheen established “Tam Distributing Company,” and he went on to represent the company at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, in the year 1996.
As an engaged member of the Islamic community, he played host to Imam Warith Deen Mohammed on a “Community Awareness Day” and shared the stage with Muhammad Ali and his manager Jabbir Muhammad to present them with Life Time Awards. Mr. Jim also had the opportunity to meet and converse with a number of well-known figures, including Reverend Jessie Jackson, Richard Pryor, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Imam Jamil El-Amin (H. Rap Brown), Chuck D. (the founder of Public Enemy), and Fred Meijer (Meijer stores).
Raheem was a part of the Atlanta project, which was started by Jimmy Carter when he was in office as president. Jim’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gene Gaston, as well as his sister, Bessie Coleman, and his brother, Ricky Jeffrey, all passed away before he did. Those left behind to remember him fondly are his three sons: Anthony (Amanda) Jones, Robert Dunigan, and Tahir Rashid (all from Michigan); his two daughters: JoAnna (Eldon) Dorrington from
Michigan and Angela Cleveland from Georgia; his four sisters: Janice (Randy) Brown from Georgia, Charlotte Jeffrey from Wisconsin, Jeanette (Jerome) Parker from Michigan, and Judi (Gregory) James from Michigan; his brother: Larry Easter from Michigan; his step-sister.