Iddi Ali Bakari
- Published: February 23, 2026
On behalf of Martin and Zyna Bakari —
Our father, Iddi Ali Bakari, passed away peacefully at home on Pemba Island, in the same village where he was born, with his mother and several siblings and loved ones present. Helping him fulfill his wish to return to his native Tanzania after he suffered a stroke in 2018 was a bittersweet honor of a lifetime. We are grateful to have been able to visit him annually since then, for the bonds that have formed and strengthened with our Tanzanian family during that time, and for all who loved him across the three continents on which he lived.
Iddi called Yellow Springs home from 1988 to 2018, after moving with Maria Bakari from the Philippines, where he studied at the University of the Philippines Los Baños as a United Nations Fellow/Scholar. He proudly dedicated 30 years to serving elders as a registered nurse and director of nursing at several care centers, beginning his career at Friends Care Community of Yellow Springs. Iddi raised three children — Umoja, Martin and Zyna — alongside our mother, Maria, and lived a rich life centered on family and service, full of laughter and love.
If you have a story about our dad, we would love to hear it. Feel free to share it with us at martinbakari@gmail.com.
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