Leola Ali

Leola Marie Ali (nee Lopes) passed away peacefully on August 20th, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was Lee, Leola, Mom, Nani, Amah, Mami, Dadi, Sasi, and Mrs. Ali. Her family and friends celebrated her 99th birthday just this past May.

Leola was born in 1927, the 2nd of four children (Joseph, Dominic, Fortunata, all predeceasing Leola) to parents Dominic and Sophia Lopes, in New London, Connecticut, and was baptized at 3 months of age in St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London, according to the Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. At the age of 89, she received Baptism by Water with New Wineskin Ministries International in Indianapolis.

In 1948, she married Bangladeshi-born Israil Ali in New York City, and they soon moved to Detroit, Michigan. It was from this new beginning in her life that she cultivated many talents and explored new adventures through her years. Along the way, she welcomed many Bengalis to the United States, infusing richness of their culture into her own.

Leola and Israil owned and operated Ali's Grocery in Detroit. Mom was quite a store owner beside our father & was also the accountant of the businesses. They followed with the first Indian restaurant in the city whilst raising eight children. The Maharajah Restaurant on Cass Avenue remained a fixture in the Chinatown area of Detroit for many years. After this, their Bengal Bazaar on the Eastside of Detroit flowed with Indian imports to suit something for every browser's taste. Following was the New Maharajah Restaurant in Southfield. Leola taught her young daughters how to make massive pans of dough for the menu's savory poories, paratas, and samosas! Leola was gifted many times over with beautiful saris from our Bangladeshi family (to their "Mami", "Sasi") as she can be seen lovingly wearing them in photos galore (she mastered the pleats as if she'd been folding them her entire life!).

Leola always had a hushed sense of adventure! She enjoyed radio soap operas, gardening, crocheting, quilting, sewing (many creations of which her children wore throughout their childhood years), Greek and Lebanese cuisine, 500-ct puzzles, mystery novels, crossword puzzles, British detective shows, traveling, music, beadworking of colorful decorative items, membership in the "Red Hats Society" as "Queen of Notes" Secretary of the "Wild Roses Chapter" in Michigan, late but avid joiner (creating over a dozen quilts for donating) in the Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene "First Church Quilters", was dubbed "Lightening Lee" in her late 80s after an 8-game winning Strike Streak during Wii Bowling with other seniors, and enjoyed meeting new people. She savored the beaches of Hawaii, an up-close look at London's Tower Bridge, a blessing by the Pope II in Rome, sassy Las Vegas shows, sailing the Alaskan fjords, exploring sun-splashed Cozumel, Mexico, and a grand tour of Bangladesh. She was a staunch supporter of letters and greeting cards and instilled in her children the kindness a well-timed post could bring to someone's heart. Leola also left with her daughters a marvelous Harvest Loaf recipe. It was only toward the end of her years that it was discovered she had learned how to play Chinese Checkers in her very early years, and did not disappoint, as family and friend endured lighthearted humiliation one game after another, to try and beat this expert, even at her age of 97 by then. And after each win, she would fondly retell the story about how her uncle's fiancée in New York gifted the game to her as a youth- Leola would practice whenever she had the chance (that is how she developed her infallible strategy!).

Leola is survived by her children Nurjahan Ali, Fulljahan Ali Morin, Liloma Ali Staten (William), Komala Ali Bowden (Steven, dec.), Zorina Ali, and Lesu Ali Taweel (Robert). She was predeceased by her husband Israil Ali and their sons Ismail Ali (Gloria, dec.) and Jamil Ali (Lynette). Survivors also include a multitude of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces from both her family and Israil's. Many from her husband's Bangladeshi family are in great mourning for her as they considered her as close as their own mother/grandmother/aunt from near and far away.

Our family's brightest star.....

Leola's arrangements have been entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Leola's Celebration of Life will take place in Michigan with close family and friends on October 3, 2026.