Bernard Michel

Obituary

He was known by many names – “Jean-Claude” “Mr. B”, “Bernard” or “Grandpa”. Today we celebrate the life of Mr. Bernard “Jean Claude” Michel. Jean-Claude was born in Rue Mong Guillouit, Port Au Prince, Haiti. He was the 6 ^th child of Jules and Antoinesse Jourdain. Jean-Claude’s father was a military man and a farmer while his mother worked on the farm and sold the fruits and vegetables that were grown. Jean Claude attended the high school known as Lycée Petion.

He migrated from Haiti to the United States in 1969. He met Marlene Etienne while in Haiti and they reconnected in New York. They dated, fell in love and in December of 1976 they married. They were married for 44 years before his homegoing. Jean Claude worked at the Parker Meridien Hotel for 40 years. He loved his work at the Parker Meridien. Jean Claude was loved, admired, and respected by all co-workers, staff, and upper management. Jean Claude was annually given certificates for perfect attendance and numerous employee-of-the month awards. He was affectionally referred to at work as “Mr. B”.

Jean Claude was an extraordinary human being; a one-of-a kind remarkable man that could not be replicated. He epitomized honesty, dependability, reliability, humbleness, generosity, and kindness to everyone that he had come across. Despite being diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer), the energy he displayed was always upbeat and positive. Jean-Claude was a great leader and set the tone in his household by being a great provider and example to his 2 sons. Jean Claude found great pleasure in attending to his garden and regularly upkeeping his yard. His greatest joy came from being surrounded by his family. During family gatherings he was the life of the party. The first one on the dance floor and the last one off.

Jean Claude is preceded in death by brother Jean-Fouchard and sisters Julienne, Marie-Olga, and Raymond.

Jean Claude is survived by his wife Marlene, Sons John, and Gilbert, daughter-in-law Rolande and Grandchildren Jabari Elijah “Eli” (11 years old), Jonah Omari (3 years old) and a host of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The Michel Family wishes to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who visited, called, text, sent condolences, prayers, sympathy cards and just shared a kind word on how much the patriarch of our family poured into their lives as he did into ours.