Marie B. Jean

Marie Benoite Jean, 91, of Petit-Goâve, Haiti, passed away peacefully on the evening of May 30, 2025, of natural causes, surrounded by the love of her devoted family.

Born on September 13, 1933, in Petit-Goâve, Haiti, Marie lived a life defined by unwavering strength, boundless love, and remarkable resilience. She later moved to Port-au-Prince, where she met the love of her life, Decembre Jean. On February 23, 1957, she married her first and only love, right after they welcomed their first born, Elizabeth, and from there, the beginning of a beautiful partnership that would bless them with thier four other precious children: Jude, Denis, Julienne, and Jhonny. Despite enduring years of chronic pain following complications from cervical surgery intended to address spinal cord nerve compression and misalignment, her indomitable spirit never wavered.

Marie was renowned for her keen awareness and razor-sharp mind—she seemed to hear every conversation, no matter how distant, and was never hesitant to offer her perspective, whether welcomed or not. This endearing quality was part of what her family lovingly called her "Jedi mind trick"—once you truly knew Marie, you could not help but love her deeply and completely.

Her life exemplified the very essence of love itself. Marie dedicated herself wholeheartedly to instilling compassion, love, and kindness in her children and grandchildren, creating a legacy that will endure for generations to come. She was, in every sense, a diamond in the rough—her true radiance revealed through life's challenges and her extraordinary capacity to touch every heart she encountered.

Marie is survived by her beloved children: Elizabeth, Jude, Denis, Julienne, and Jhonny Jean; her treasured grandchildren: Rudolphe Bony, Esther Jean-Hunt, Litz-Haggi Jean, Clifford Jean, Christopher Jean, and Azrael Jean; her precious great-grandchildren: Justin Bony, Azario, and Alora Jean; her devoted sisters: Juliette Meteyer and Mimose Chadic; her daughters-in-law: Marie Clara Jean and Dherly Jean; her beloved grand-nieces-in-law: Alexandra Larose Bony, Tiffany and Angelica Jean; her wonderful grand-nephew-in-law: Ira Hunt; and her numerous cherished nieces and nephews.

Marie Benoite Jean's memory will forever remain a wellspring of strength and inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her profound legacy of love, resilience, and unwavering family devotion will continue to guide and comfort those she leaves behind, ensuring that her extraordinary spirit lives on in the hearts of all who loved her.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

By JBnice

In the shadow's depths where few eyes seek.

Where silence holds what tongues don't speak,

There, beauty, awaits; defiant and tough —

A treasure buried in the rough,

Not in the gleam of deceiving eyes

Nor the smile of seductive lies,

But in the moral of perfect things,

And in the strength where broken spirit sings.
 

In wrinkled faces etched with time,

In stories told through dust and grime.

Your beauty hides in the calloused of your palms,

That weathered storms without their psalms,
 

In eyes that witnessed grief and strife.

Yet still reflect the love of life.

It glimmers in the space between

Of what is and what might have been.
 

In caving earth, running deep and true,

Where light finds its ways to filter through.

There, in the flakes of harden life, you shine,

Your beauty runs through the veins where truths resign.
 

Your worth concealed beneath the crust,

In layers of forgotten dust.

So let your searching go beyond,

The polished gems that correspond,
 

To shallow standards, in the surface-deep—

The truest beauty is yours to keep,

When patient hands unearth the raw,

Uncut brilliance without flaw,

Waiting for those who've learned enough,

To love a diamond in the rough.