Charles Edward Holt

As you journey into heaven let the angels help to lead the way and All the prayers that we made shine up on your soul to keep you safe-CrownMe

Charles Holt was my oldest and dearest friend. When I was four years old, my mother sent me to live with my grandmother. My grandmother lived just two houses down from Charles and his family. Charles was only three months older than I was, and from the moment we met, we formed a bond that lasted a lifetime. We grew up together as brothers. Differences in religion never mattered to us. Charles was Methodist, and my grandmother was Baptist, but as children, we didn't know the difference. What mattered was our friendship, our neighborhood, and the experiences we shared growing up. At age fifteen, I left Birmingham to attend Knoxville College. Later, I continued my education in graduate school at Princeton and then New York University. The distance made it difficult to visit often, but it never weakened our friendship. We stayed connected through phone calls, always checking on one another and catching up on family and friends. Whenever I returned to Alabama, one of our favorite things to do was drive through the old neighborhood together. We would look around, remember old times, and talk about who was still there and who had passed on. Those conversations reminded us of how much history we shared and how fortunate we were to have remained lifelong friends. Charles was more than a friend to me—he was my brother. His friendship was one of the greatest blessings of my life, and I will always cherish the memories we made together. He will forever remain in my heart as my brother and my friend. With love and gratitude, Razi "Bobby Blockum" Hassan

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