Jean Claude LaForest

Jean Claude Laforest was born on September 16, 1946 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to the late Florville Laforest and Georgette Faine Laforest. Nicknamed “Jojo,” Jean Claude Laforest was preceded in death by his sister, Marie Carmel (Ti-Fofo); and his brothers, Eve and Michel (Ti-Michel) Laforest. In his early years, he was highly free-spirited, independent, relaxed, and enjoyed all of what Haiti had to offer. Hobbies and interests included: playing pool (billiards), watching soccer matches, visiting the beach, and competing and winning bingo tournaments on the weekends.

Jean Claude and Ginette Georges were united in Holy Matrimony on October 27, 1979 at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Haiti. Jean Claude moved his family to the United States in the late 1980’s. He wanted to provide his family with a good quality lifestyle and instill in his children the building blocks of discipline and the importance of making a living and providing for a family. Jean Claude wasted no time in landing a job: first starting with Pan Am Airlines as a food caterer; and later after settling his family in Spring Valley, New York, he worked diligently with the Chestnut Ridge School Bus Transportation Company for over 25 solid years; he then worked 12 more years as a custodian with the East Ramapo Central School District; before retiring in 2013. Upon Jean Claude’s retirement, he fulfilled his dream of returning to his homeland and enjoying life in paradise.

His close friends in the Haitian community fondly remember Jean Claude with laughter and love. He was “a peaceful spiritual man that always dreamed big with the ‘TCHALA’ in his back pocket.” His children remembered the days when family and friends would tell Jean Claude about the dream they had the night before and asked him to refer to the Tchala for the number translations to play the lottery. The inside joke among Bernard, Emmanuel, and Claude was that their dad gave out more numbers than a single guy at a party. All joking aside, the Laforest children remember the days of laughter and fun in their household. Their father will always be a source of joy that will reside in their hearts and souls forever.

Jean Claude Laforest leaves, to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 38 years, Ginette Laforest; daughter, Darline Laforest; sons, Bernard Laforest, Emmanuel Laforest, and Jean Claude (Tai Jenee) Laforest; grandchildren, Amanie, Aaron, Aileen, Jason, Elijah, Laila, and Isaac; and a host of other relatives and friends.