Andre Ardouin

1924 - 2019

Andre Ardouin

Suffern - André Ardouin, age 95, died on Monday, March 25, 2019 at Good Samaritan Hospital, in Suffern New York. He was born on March 5, 1924 in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti to Claire André & Céligny Ardouin and was the eldest of four children. At the age of 21, André joined the Haitian Corps d'Aviation (Haitian Air Corps). At 24 he earned a degree in General Radio Mechanics. At 25, he married Clara Benze and together they had six children. André spent 40 years of his life collectively serving in the Haitian military branches and earned the officer rank of Major. During his service in the military, André went on to accomplish the following: served on the Haitian Court Martial Tribunal, earned a degree in Morse Code from the École Des Transmission, he studied intelligence at the U.S. Naval Academy in Washington, D.C., he earned his certification as an Electrician Mate Class A at the US Naval Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, he studied law at the Faculté De Droit et des Sciences Économiques in Haiti, and earned a degree in Radar System Technology in Morgan City, Louisiana. In 1985, at the age of 61, he retired from the Haitian Armed Forces and relocated permanently to the U.S. At the age of 63, he began his career as a school bus driver for the East Ramapo Central School District in Spring Valley, New York. He took tremendous pride and found substantial bliss during the 25 years of his life that he dedicated to safely transporting handicap children to and from their academic institutions and their homes. In addition, André enjoyed playing the keyboard and church organ and would often play music for the novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at St. Joseph's Church in Spring Valley, NY.

André was preceded in death by his dear wife Clara of 75 years in marriage, his daughters Marie Lourdy, and Yolette, and his siblings Alice, and Jacques. André is survived by his sister Anne Marie Desir, his children Joseph Ardouin, Maryse Ardouin, Guirlene Ledan, and Rev. Monsignor Beaubrun Ardouin who is pastor of St. Leo's Church in Irvington, NJ. In addition, André is survived by his twelve grandchildren: Marie McCluster, Shirley Auguste, Andrea Ardouin-Petrov, Jessica Ardouin, Vittoria Gourdet, Anthony Pierre, Michelle Bonnard, Paul Bonnard, Harold Pierre, Shaina Ledan, Joyce Ledan, and Mary-Andrée Ardouin-Guerrier, the granddaughter whom André and his wife Clara had assumed legal guardianship of and raised as their daughter after the passing of her mother Marie Lourdy. André has been blessed to leave his legacy of an additional 15 great grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces.

The wake of André will be held Friday, March 29, 2019 from 5PM-9PM at the Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home at 177 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901. The viewing will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 from 8:30AM-9:45AM at St. Leo's Church, 103 Myrtle Avenue, Irvington, NJ 07111 followed by the funeral mass which will also be held at St. Leo's Church, presided by Rev. Monsignor Beaubrun Ardouin. The interment/ burial will be at the Gate of Heaven & Mausoleum Cemetery at 225 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ 07936. The Ardouin's family would like to extend gratitude to all who have cared for our beloved André known by all as "PAPI DÉDÉ", within recent years.