A gracious and strong woman of great faith, and determination, Brienne Elie was born on March 5, 1936, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She was the youngest of five children born of a marriage between Milie Joseph and Delmon Alexandre. She entered eternal rest on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
In 1958, she married her husband of 37 years, Jean Rene Elie Sr., who was working as a chemist for Haitian American Sugar Company, SA (HASCO) at the time. Brienne was employed as a beautician at Hotel Oloffson, a luxury hotel in Port-au-Prince. Through this union, three children were born unto the family. Together, the couple provided a good life for themselves and their children. Although Brienne loved her homeland with its friendly people, stunning coastlines, beautiful beaches and mountainous terrain, looking into the future, she could not envision a better life for her children due to the country’s political instability. In 1965, acting upon her vision, a true pioneer, she boarded a plane and immigrated to the United States, leaving her husband and children behind. She soon established a household in the US and sent for her husband and children. They settled in Evanston, Illinois, where Brienne and her family became members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Brienne found employment as an Assembly Line Inspector for John Crane, a global manufacturer of seals and systems in Morton Grove, IL. At John Crane, Brienne was known for her strong work ethic, efficiency and solid grasp of complex systems. Her efforts even caught the attention of the President and CEO of the company, who recognized her with a special award. Brienne retired from John Crane in 2001 after 30 years of service. Shortly after the passing of her husband, she relocated to Gurnee to be closer to family and embarked on a new career as a lunchroom/recess supervisor for Woodland Elementary School, where two of her grandsons attended school. During her years at Woodland, Brienne left an indelible impression on the youth who were charged to her care. As young adults, many of her former students often would shower her with hugs whenever they saw her in the local community.
Brienne remained with the Woodland School District until she retired in 2014. After retirement, she found joy in spending time with her family, attending family outings and sharing her delicious, home-cooked Haitian meals with family and friends. Brienne was a long-time member of St. Paul The Apostle Catholic Church in Gurnee, where she regularly attended mass and special services. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jean Rene Elie Sr.; mother Milie; her father Delmon; brothers Alexi; and Delcius; and sisters, Anita and Milia Alexandre.
She leaves to cherish her memory: her daughters, Jessie Elie; and Marie (Tim) Brooks; her son, Jean Rene (Tannette) Elie; three nieces, Gilberte (Olson) Solouque, Carole Alexandre and Rosie (Chip) Hinshaw; three nephews: Clay (Daniella) Toussaint Alexandre, Alix Toussaint, and Reynold Alexandre; five grandsons: Stephan Young, Jason Young, Jonathan Sagers, Kendall Elie, Mitchell Elie; a great-granddaughter, Taylor Sagers; a great-grandson, Zamir Sagers; and a host of cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews, and friends.
Visitation will be at 9:00 a.m., Friday, Dec. 6, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6401 Gages Lake Rd., Gurnee, IL, followed by a funeral service at 10:00 a.m.. Interment will follow immediately after the service at Memorial Park Cemetery, 9900 Gross Point Rd., Skokie, IL. A repast will take place at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.
We, the family of Mrs. Brienne Elie, shall be eternally grateful to our many family and friends who have been so kind and thoughtful during our hour of grief and sorrow. Your prayers have lightened our burdens, and your kind deeds have given us strengths to endure. We are confident that God will provide us with the opportunity to thank each of you personally soon. May God continue to bless you as we keep you in our prayers.
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