Jacques Demosthene Noel

A devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and dedicated educator, Jacques was a lifelong devout Catholic and enjoyed many years of service to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spring Valley, New York. He continued his service at St Pius X in Conyers until his health deteriorated. Love of family led Jacques to leave his beloved Haiti to seek the American dream of better opportunity for his descendants. A respected educator in Haiti, he made incredible sacrifices to gain the college degree required to re-embark on a career in education. He proudly earned a degree at St. Thomas Aquinas College and mastered the language of his adopted country while working full time to support a family of six. Jacques absolutely loved touching a multitude of Rockland County high school students as a French and Spanish teacher. He was an inspiration to a generation of young Haitian Americans through the English as a Second Language program. As a realtor, Jacques took special delight in placing homeowners in their first home; of course, he took particular satisfaction from serving the Haitian American community. Jacques learned to love the soil and earth as a young boy in Haiti; his garden was truly a lifelong passion. His loving wife of 49 years, three children and eight grandchildren, and family, friends and colleagues who knew and loved him, will miss him. Survived by wife, Marie Andree Noel; children, Josee Adlye (Noel) Flerismond, James Adler Noel, Alan Noel; grandchildren, James C. Noel, Marc AD Noel, Jason Flerismond, Janelle Flerismond, Alan Noel, Jr., Angeleah Noel, Jacqueline Marie Noel, and Andre Noel. The wake for Jacques will be on Friday, December 27, 2013, from 7-9 pm at the funeral home. The funeral will be on Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 11am at St Pius X Catholic Church, 2621 Highway 20 SE, Conyers, GA 30013. A reception will immediately follow burial at St. Pius X Church. The family respectfully requests donations in lieu of flowers to Réunion Sportive d’Haiti, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of marginalized youth in Haiti with a mission to build skills, characters, and communities through sports and education, and to promote the well-being of children in Haiti to reach their full potential in society. http://rshaiti.org/donate. Scot Ward Funeral Services, 699 American Legion Road, Conyers, GA 30012, 770-483-7216.

Jacques Demosthene Noel

June 23, 1935 - December 23, 2013