Kwame Halim Ali

Kwame Halim Ali, known lovingly as Halim, passed away on April 26, 2026, in Kingston, leaving behind a legacy of faith, creativity, service, and love that touched all who knew him.

Halim was born on March 10, 1946, in Manhattan, and he carried the strength, dignity, and spirit of a life well lived from his earliest days. He was predeceased by his parents, Hubert and Vera Saunders Johnson. He is survived by his wife, Sue-Ellen Ali, and by his children, Onike Johnson, Rashida Stafford and her husband, Elton, and Lafayette Duvall. He also embraced Julia Chase and her husband Jeff as his bonus children. Halim was blessed with eight grandchildren: Raheem, Asha, Kenneth, John, Misty, Rose, Sebastian, and Simon, and two great-grandchildren, India and Legaci.

Halim grew up on Long Island where he made lifelong friends and lived in Queens, Kingston, New Paltz and Poughkeepsie before finding his dream home in Mount  Tremper, where he resided for the past twenty years.  He was a man who valued both home and community.  He exhibited a quiet steadiness and deep concern for others. He retired from the Office of Children and Family Services, where he served as a Youth Division Aid at a detention center. He offered guidance, patience, and his consistent presence to young people who needed compassion and structure. His work reflected the kindness that marked his life, and many will remember the way he treated others with respect and understanding.

Halim was also a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. His service was recognized with the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, and the Air Force Longevity Service Award. He carried that chapter of his life with dignity, and his military service stood as another example of his devotion to duty and country.

Education and the arts were important to Halim. He was a graduate of City College, where he earned a degree in Fine Arts. He was an artist who worked in various media forms including: oils, acrylics, watercolors, and charcoal. Through his work, he captured beautiful landscapes such as the Ashokan Reservoir. He shared his deep appreciation for the beauty of nature and considered the outdoors a true gift from God. Halim never lost his inspiration or his awe of creation. Those who viewed his art could see not only skill, but also reverence, wonder, and gratitude.

Halim had traveled in his youth,. Those experiences helped shape his broad outlook on life. He remained politically absorbed and active, always up to date on current events. His engagement with the world was replete with thoughtfulness and multifaceted interest. He thoughtfully considered what was happening around him which helped him understand that faith and awareness could walk hand in hand.

His Christian faith was the core of who he was. He was a member of the Assembly of God in Lomontville, New York, and he lived as a faithful servant of the Lord. He was known for giving children the most wonderful hugs, a simple expression of warmth that reflected the tenderness of his heart. He also enjoyed the island calypso music of the 1950s. This genre of music brought joy and rhythm to his life. When he prayed, he often concluded his praise with a cheerful, “Yay God!” Those words captured his spirit well, for he lived with gratitude, joy, and trust in the goodness of the Lord.

Halim will be remembered as a faith-filled man whose life was marked by devotion to family, service to others, artistic beauty, and steadfast Christian witness. Though he has departed this earthly life, the love he gave, the work he created, and the faith he professed remain as a blessing to all who knew him. May he rest in the peace of Christ.

  You may share a special memory, photo, or condolence with the family on his Tribute Page at www.gormleyfuneralhome.com  A Memorial Service will be held May 17th at 2pm at Lomontville Assembly of God Church,  123 Ashokan Rd  Kingston NY there will be a light meal in the fellowship hall after . Services are under the direction of the E. B. Gormley Funeral Home 87 Main St. Phoenicia.

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