Souvenise Nicolas

Souvenise Louidor-Nicolas more affectionately known as “Sandy” was born on August 5, 1942 in the small, mountain village of Darbouze, a suburb of Port Salut, Haiti to her mother Brunia Louidor and father Numa Vancol. She was the oldest of her mother’s four children and carried the title of “big sister” always. She’s predeceased by her parents, brothers Francois Vancol & Renel Mondesir and husband Murto Nicolas.

After emigrating to New York in 1969, she and her husband bought a home and started to send for other family members from Haiti so that they too could have better opportunities in life. That very home housed any and everyone who needed shelter & childcare. Not just a roof and 4 walls, but a safe haven that was warm, where there was always the best food and where you could always get a good laugh, or cry.

Souvenise is responsible for several people entering the United States. And though she moved from Haiti 52 years ago, she never forgot about her home town of Darbouze. She supported all of her relatives and friends back home, paying tuitions, helping start up businesses, paying medical expenses, applying for visas, funding weddings & funerals, and everything in between. She was the root of this family.

Souvenise worked at the Robert L. Yeager Health Center for 34 years before retiring in 2004.

She was a parishioner at St. Joseph’s Church in Spring Valley, NY since the 1970’s where she attended mass up to three times per week at times.

She enjoyed gardening, cooking, fashion, traveling and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren whom she lived for and adored. She was a nurturer by nature. Everything she touched grew and flourished. With minimal education, she studied and passed the naturalization exam granting her United States citizenship in 2019 at the age of 77.

On 11/11/21, she went home peacefully to her Creator surrounded by her loved ones at the age of 79. She is survived by her baby sister Lucienne Louidor; two daughters, Nancy & Carleen, three grandchildren Stacey, Kerleen & Hakeem, three bonus grandchildren Jaden, Rihanna and Raiden and special mentions to Julian and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support as well as medical staff for their care.