Carmela W. Zephyrin

Carmela W. Zephyrin passed into eternal rest on May 7, 2026, in New York. She was born on November 9, 1944, in Jacmel, Haiti, to the late Lucilia Alix and Adolphe William, and was one of eight siblings. Throughout her life, she was defined by an unwavering commitment to caring for others, a generous spirit, and quiet leadership. Her mother, Lucilia Alix, a woman of great strength, left a lasting imprint on her character.

Carmela grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti 's capital, where she was educated and came into her own. She attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Bel-Air neighborhood and later graduated from Coscomat, a secretarial and cosmetology school directed by the late Judith Willam Bijoux. Carmela was a woman of many gifts, she worked as a beautician and served as a preschool teacher — an early expression of her lifelong devotion to nurturing others.

It was while running the beauty school, during a photography shoot by the late Hery Zephirin — who would later become her brother-in-law — that she met the love of her life, a newly minted lawyer named A. Rollin Zephyrin. They were married on October 10, 1967, surrounded by the warmth of family and friends. In late 1968, following the birth of their first child, Reginald, she left Haiti to join her husband in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), where she continued her teaching career. By the end of 1969, the family emigrated to the United States, and their second son, Neal, was born shortly thereafter.

In the United States, Carmela continued to build a life centering her family and rooted in purpose and perseverance. She graduated from beauty school and worked as both a beautician and subsequently as a secretary at an insurance company USF&G, for a number of years. Several years later, she welcomed her daughter, Laurie, completing her family.

Family was, more than anything else, the center of Carmela's world. She placed her husband, children, and grandchildren before all things, finding in them her greatest joy and her deepest sense of meaning. Her love for her family was not loud or boastful — it lived in the quiet, constant ways she showed up; in meals prepared with care, in prayers offered on their behalf, in steady, reassuring presence marked always by patience and generosity that her loved ones could always count on. That same warmth extended naturally to a circle of close friends including her children’s friends whom she embraced with the same open heart she reserved for her own.

A lifelong learner with a deep calling to care for people, Carmela made the bold decision to return to school — all while working, raising her children, and fulfilling her role as a devoted wife. She earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science from the Helen Fuld School of Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from York College. The determination and fortitude she demonstrated during those years spoke to the very essence of who she was. She went on to enjoy a distinguished nursing career spanning 30 years, serving as a certified Registered Nurse in the Medical Surgical Unit at St. John's Hospital Queens and later at Methodist New York Presbyterian Hospital, from which she retired in 2010.

Her generosity extended well beyond her home and her profession. Carmela regularly donated to charities close to her heart — causes addressing food insecurity, supporting children in need, and advancing her faith. She gave quietly and consistently, never seeking recognition, embodying the belief that true generosity asks for nothing in return. She also regularly shared pearls of wisdom and life lessons rooted in faith with her loved ones.

In retirement, Carmela embraced life with the same quiet joy and curiosity that had always marked her days. She took gym classes at the YMCA, traveled, tended lovingly to her plants, and cherished every moment spent with her grandchildren. Her hobbies were a reflection of her soul — she played dominos, checkers, wrote poetry, gardened, cooked, and explored the world with her family through travel and reading. She was a gifted cook, a devoted reader, and a woman who found deep peace in music, prayer, and scripture. She routinely attended services at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Queens Village.

Carmela will be remembered as a woman of faith, devotion, and duty. She was quiet and kind — the sort of person whose presence brought calm to any room and whose goodness revealed itself not in grand gestures, but in the gentle, steady ways she showed up for others, day after day. She possessed a quiet strength that those who knew her recognized immediately and drew upon often, and an endearing, off-beat sense of humor that brought warmth and laughter to all who were fortunate enough to be in her life. Content in the most graceful sense of the word, she needed no spotlight — only her faith, her family, and the knowledge that she had done right by both.

Carmela's life was the quiet definition of a life well lived — measured in a contented heart and the peace that comes from giving all of yourself to the people and things you love. She had time enough for what mattered: her family and friends, her patients, her faith, her garden, her cooking, her poetry. She asked for little and gave everything.

She made her mark not through grand gestures, but in the ways that last — a warm meal, a steady presence, a kind word offered at exactly the right moment. She understood, perhaps better than most, that what you have is enough, and that love, freely given, is the only measure that matters.

She left this world the way she lived in it — gracefully and on her own terms.

"The only pain she ever caused us was when she left us."

She is survived by her devoted and loving husband of almost 58 years, A. Rollin Zephyrin; her devoted children Reginald Wolf Zephyrin, Neal Alan Zephyrin, and Dr. Laurie Carmel Zephyrin; daughters-in-laws Carline Jean-Zephyrin and Clayon Huggins-Zephyrin; and son-in-law Omozuwa Osayimwese. Her cherished grandchildren Kristophe Ngozi Zephyrin, Kevin Lee Zephyrin, Kendall Christoff Hobson, Zoe Giovanni Eastwood, Naomi Carmela Zephyrin, Arianna Zephyrin, Nosakhare Rollin Zephyrin Osayimwese, and Noruwa Alix Zephyrin Osayimwese; Her siblings Hughes William Sr., and Paulonne Georges; and her dear sister-in-law Clotilde William. Her nieces and nephews Holgine William, Hughes William Jr., Andrew William, Ernsa Duprevil, Jean Dominique Georges, Rene Georges Jr., John Herve Raymond, Marie-Carline Raymond Dorelien, Dr. Ernst Andre Raymond, Sagine Raymond, Yves Monfleury, Marie Judith Montfleury, Ducamel Montfleury, Marie Paule Monfleury Brunache, Dr. Jean-Gerard Thomas, Myrtha Thomas Roth, and Norma Thomas. Her cousins Gisele William Prophete, Gladys Charmant, Germain (Toto) Charmant, Sandy St.-Cyr, Karl St.-Cyr, Dr. Frantz Bijoux, and Dr. Marie-Judith Bijoux Leist.

She will also be remembered by a host of cherished aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, classmates, lifelong friends, and colleagues at St. John’s Hospital and Methodist Hospital.

May she rest in the peace she so graciously gave to others.

Visitation will be held at R. Stutzmann & Son, 224-39 Jamaica Ave, Queens Village, NY 11428, US, on May 21, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

A Funeral Mass will take place at Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church, 92-96 220th St, Queens Village, NY 11428, US, on May 22, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, with livestream available at https://boxcast.tv/view/mass-of-christian-burial-for-carmela-zephyrin-dc5opssj9iyampclfzhp?

Burial will follow at Cypress Hills Cemetery, 833 Jamaica Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11208, US, on May 22, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm.

A repass will be held at Antun's, 96-43 Springfield Blvd, Queens Village, NY 11429, U.S.A, on May 22, 2026, beginning at 3:00 pm.

At the families request, in lieu of flowers they are asking that donations be made to the organization : God's Love We Deliver at the link below:

https://give.glwd.org/campaign/803600/donate

In honor of Mrs. Carmela W. Zephyrin

A devoted nurse, mother, grandmother, and woman of deep faith whose life was defined by quiet generosity and care for others — we invite you to support a cause close to her heart. Carmela believed no one should go hungry and gave consistently to organizations serving families and children in need.

Your donation in her memory continues her lifelong commitment to compassion, dignity, and service.