Obituary of Riyadh Shakir Fuqua

Riyadh Shakir Fuqua, 28, of Stow Creek Twp. passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 12th following injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Born in Bridgeton to Stephen D. Fuqua and Denise G. Nicholson, he was a resident of Stow Creek Twp. and Bridgeton most of his life. Riyadh had lived in Amity Heights in Bridgeton until he was two years of age and spent time living in both Bridgeton and Stow Creek after that. He had been most recently employed at Nipro in Millville as a machine operator for a few months. Riyadh had been previously employed at the BP gas station on Route 49 for about three years and had also worked with his big brother, Darryle as a home restorer mainly focusing on interior painting for which he had a real talent. He loved spending time with his daughter and family and playing sports video games. Riyadh was a decorated athlete. He had been a member of the West Cumberland Baseball championship team where he played as both a pitcher and short stop. In the Herb Henry Basketball league, he had played for the Grey team and they had won back to back championships with a record of 22-1, only losing once over those two championship seasons. He also played for Stow Creek Basketball, and they achieved their first championship and won the Hopewell Tournament when he was a member of the team. As a student athlete, Riyadh had played both football and basketball for Cumberland Regional High School. He is survived by; his daughter, Ri'yana Denise Fuqua; his mother, Denise Nicholson; his biological father, Stephen D. Fuqua; his father, James D. Bryant, Sr.; his bonus mother, Kimberly; his siblings, Darryle Doss, Latifah Fuqua, Jenel Garcia, Jamesha Pearl Che' Bryant and James D. Bryant; his life long partner, Dominique Harvey; his bonus siblings, Jay and Julia Thompson, Antiwone Cox, Marquita “Skeet” Johnson, Akeem Staton, Alicia Allen and Nazeeh DuBose; his maternal grandmother, Pearl Bryant; his paternal grandfather, Eugene Watford; his aunts, Chavela Alston (Leon), Margaret Harvey (Tyrone) and Shelia Nicholson; his uncles, Eugene Nicholson, James Nicholson, Bernard Nicholson (Eartha) and Frank Nicholson; his favorite cousins, Latisha Fuqua, Jamal Green, Bryant Harris, Keyona Grant and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by; his maternal grandparents, Rebecca Nicholson, James H. Bryant and Grady Burden; his paternal grandmother, Mamie Fuqua; his aunt, Vanessa Nicholson and his uncles, Thomas Nicholson and Anthony Green. Funeral services will be held at Union Baptist Temple 29 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way on Saturday, December 18th at 10 AM. Interment will take place at Cedar Hill Memorial Park in Hopewell Twp. Friends will be received at the church from 8 AM to 10 AM prior to the services. Written condolences can be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.padgettfuneralhomes.com.