Mohammad Almai

Mohammad Ali Almai, Tehran, Iran and Greenwood, MO, passed away on May 1, 2022, at the age of 78.

Ali was born on March 21, the first day of the Persian New Year, Nowruz in the year 1944 in Tehran, Iran. He was the oldest of five children born to Javad and Shamsii Almaee and the first in his family to make the long journey to the United States to attend college. At the age of 18, Ali was given a choice by his family to pursue either Engineering or Medicine and, fainting at the sight of blood, he pursued Engineering. In 1968, he graduated from Indiana State University. Ali later went on to get his Professional Engineering license and a master’s in engineering from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He retired as the Engineering Division Head Stormwater Utility at the City of Kansas City, Missouri and most recently worked on the new Kansas City Airport as an employee of 3T.

One fine day, Ali’s car broke down in Kansas City, Missouri. Instead of getting upset, he decided to stay with a friend while he tried to fix the car himself.  Unfortunately, fixing a car requires money, so he thought what the heck, and started calling Engineering companies in the Kansas City area. Eventually, he talked Black and Veatch into interviewing him. Once they offered him the job, he decided he didn’t really want it and, in true Ali fashion, planned an evening out with friends to celebrate a job which he would decline the next day. While out in the trendy Kansas City bar scene, he spotted a woman he later came to know as Donna Lee Hedrick. Ali quickly asked for Donna’s number and Donna, being of sound mind, gave him a fake one. Donna’s clever trick did nothing to deter Ali. Remembering that she mentioned working at the Jones Store company, he went to Jones every day after work to try and find Donna. Meanwhile, Donna would duck out another door every time she saw him coming. Finally, Ali wore her down, and she agreed to go on a date for which she was only 3 hours late. Ali waited patiently outside her apartment. Somehow, Ali finally convinced Donna to date him and the two were wed twice, once in Iran and once in the United States.

Ali and Donna had two children: Cathy (the obvious favorite) and Metra. They moved to View High Drive and while moving in, lost Metra, who was toddling around in only a diaper. Metra was found and brought back home by a soon-to-be close friend, Marilyn Faulkner. If you talked to Ali for any length of time, he probably told you that story.

View High Drive proved to be a wonderful place to live, and Ali enjoyed the friendship of a neighbor named Mr. Bruilette. Together, they began fixing every machine or motor known to man and enjoying when anything broke because it was time to take it apart and fix it. In fact, Ali became well versed in mechanical things and any time a friend came to visit, they were told to pop the hood so he could check their oil and engine.

After fixing cars, tractors and various farm equipment entered the scene for Ali and it was a good year if he enjoyed the company of two, three, or four tractors in his barn at once. Being able to start them was an added bonus.

From View High, Donna and Ali moved to Creighton Missouri, otherwise known as Creightonia, to pursue their dream of living a farm life. Creighton was an excuse to buy even more tractors and all kinds of hobby farm equipment. From Creighton, Ali moved to Greenwood Missouri after the death of “his very own beautiful” Donna and enjoyed traveling adventures as much as he could. All the while he would exclaim to anyone who would listen, “I sure do miss your mom,” referring to Donna.

Ali was preceded in death by his mother, Shamsi Almaee and wife, Donna Almai. He is survived by his two daughters; Cathy Almai Mahurin husband Brett Mahurin and Metra Elaine Augustin, husband Mark Augustin as well as five grandchildren; Madelyn Mahurin, Reagan Mahurin, Abby Cate Mahurin, Hope Augustin, and Jacob Augustin. Brothers and Sisters, Mehri &Mansour Samsami, Giti Almaee & Koshro Shlviri, Manuchihr & Jan Almai,  Farouk & wife Shiva, and many nieces and nephews. Also, three horses; Patch, Sunshine and Baby Faith, his cat, Sammy.

There are no words to express how much Ali Almai will be missed with his kind eyes, gentle soul, wit, and humor.

A “Celebration of Life & Memorial Service” will be held on May 12, 2022, at Longview Funeral Home Visitation at 1pm followed by service and burial at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Ella’s Hope for Autism www.ellashope.org.