Joceline Saintilus

Joceline Pierre, 84, of Brooklyn, NY passed away on Friday, August 14, 2020, at home in Cream Ridge, NJ surrounded by family. She was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on August 30, 1935, to Antoinier Simon and Therese (Eugenie) Bernabe.

Joceline moved from Les Cayes to Port-au-Prince, Haiti with her mother and older sister, Adeline Pierre, when she was very young. Her mother operated a fabric and sewing materials store in Port-au-Prince, while Joceline and her sister attended school.

In 1955 Joceline traveled to America to study nursing. She settled in Brooklyn, NY and in 1958 she married Gerard Saintilus, who was also from Haiti. Together, the couple had one wonderful son, Gerald Saintilus, Jr. (1961-1963), and two beautiful daughters, Judie James (nee Saintilus) and Mona Hall (nee Saintilus).

In 1972 the couple divorced, and Joceline continued to raise her two daughters in Brooklyn. Soon she established herself as a small busines owner operating a grocery store and restaurant, and investing in real estate in the Park Slope, Crown Heights, and the Flatbush sections of Brooklyn. Joceline was well respected in the community and her entrepreneurial spirit served as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the immigrant community, especially young women, and single mothers.

Joceline enjoyed taking frequent trips to Haiti and often spoke of building a retirement home there. Her favorite pastimes were listening to and watching operas, listening to French radios news, and discussing business and politics with friends. She especially enjoyed family gatherings. She could never pass up good food and good conversations with family and friends. In her final years, Joceline moved to New Jersey to be closer to her daughters and her grandchildren.

Joceline was predeceased by her parents, Antoinier Simon and Therese (Eugenie) Bernabe; and her son, Gerard Saintilus, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Adeline (Ado) Pierre; daughters, Judie James and Mona Hall; sons-in-law, Alex James and Robert Hall; grandsons, Steven Donat (wife, Nancy), Bryan Donat, and Trevon James; granddaughter, Sydney Hall; great grandchildren, Nylaziah Donat, Steven Donat Jr, Jasen Donat, Julius Donat, and J’Andrew Donat; nieces, Marlene Smith (nee Belfort) and her husband Robert Smith, and Elsie Belfort; grandnephews, Sharod James (wife, Danny), Shamel James, Ian John, and Jeremi Remy; grandniece, Jasmine McKenney; great grandnephew, Jayden James; great grandniece, Addison James; and a host of other family and friends that were near and dear to her.

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