Omar A. Shareef

A much-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, Omar Akamen Shareef, 71, of Detroit, Michigan, passed away at his home on November 27, 2023. He bravely confronted and fought Multiple Myeloma for over 11 years.

He was born Robert Lee Martin on July 22, 1952 in Valdosta, Georgia, and grew up in Detroit, Michigan with his mother, Louise, step-father, Brownie, and his siblings, Martina, Phillip, and Toni. After years in private, catholic school, he attended Miller Junior High School where he was often teased for being quiet, polite, and different. Omar used this bullying as fodder and turned to the local YMCA where he learned Tae Kwon Do to protect himself. He excelled so greatly that he earned the rank of black belt at just 14 years old and began assisting his teacher in instructing the adult students in the class. In that very same building in the room next door, he learned the way of Rosicrucian AMORC, an organization of which he would eventually spend over 50 years as a frater. He graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1970 and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Michigan State University. During his time at Michigan State, he started his own Tae Kwon Do school which he named, the Umoja Tae Kwon Do Club, and eventually went on to establish his own international martial arts form, Won Chuen Temple Boxing, in 1971.

Won Chuen was founded based on the higher and internal principles of martial arts which transcend the physical and embrace mental and spiritual power. Omar defined his art in the following words: “Won Chuen Temple Boxing is a system of universal applied law, that utilizes the martial arts as a vehicle, to learn or to teach law.” He therefore took his continuous studies of the ancient martial arts of the world and spent the rest of his life deciphering the secrets and laws that undergird these art forms and evolved his own art of Won Chuen Temple Boxing. Master Omar spent the remainder of the 70’s, 80’s, and early 90’s being a great teacher of this art form to hundreds of students that passed through, starting out first in the basement of his East Lansing home to holding classes in various locations throughout the greater Lansing area. In the early 90’s, Omar closed the public doors of the Temple when he relocated back to his hometown of Detroit where he continued the study and evolution of his art. He taught private lessons and continued to train and teach his highest ranked and longest active student, his son, Sifu Rahman, where they continued to train until 2022 when Omar could no longer due to his health condition. Omar took great joy in passing on his art and legacy to his son Rahman who he named as his successor to Won Chuen Temple Boxing.

While Won Chuen was Omar’s lifeblood, he also spent over 20 years working for the State of Michigan Correctional System as an officer and counselor where he provided self defense instruction. In addition, he often worked private security jobs protecting musical artists in their travel and concerts including the likes of Earth, Wind, and Fire, Prince, and more. Outside of work, Omar loved fishing and would often be the only one to catch a fish on an excursion, even though he’d fall asleep in between reels. He reveled in reading old Westerns, watching thrillers, action and martial arts movies, listening to oldies but goodies, was once an incomparable roller skater, and loved to tell his children scary stories growing up that have been passed down to the next generations.

He is survived by his wife of over 28 years, Audrey Earl Shareef; sons Rahman (Tamorah) Shareef and Edward Hoston; daughters Ameenah Shareef Asante, Antoinette Hoston, and Nandi Shareef; grandsons Jawanza and Rakeem Shareef, Israel Asante, Zante Williams Jr and Karte Williams; granddaughters Hanifa, Haniya, Tahirah, and Nasirah Shareef, Zion Asante, Khloe Hoston; great grandson Josiah Zeigler, great granddaughters A’laileana, Keh’lani, Z’Havia, and Jhazara Shareef and Me’Ayla Dones; brother Phillip (Bianca Baggio) Martin; sisters Martina (Raphael) Beden and Toni Martin; and a host of nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Louise Brown, father, Leroy Martin, step-father, Norman Brown, and brothers, John and Frank Wilson.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at James H. Cole, Northwest Chapel, Detroit, Michigan. Internment will follow immediately at Mt. Elliott Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan. The family will receive friends at James H. Cole, Northwest Chapel for a public viewing on Tuesday, December 5 from 3:00-9:00 p.m.

Omar wanted to share his deepest thanks and appreciation for the Oncology Staff at Henry Ford Hospital and the volunteers at the American Cancer Society for their years of dedication to the preservation of his life. Donations may be made in his honor to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org