Elizabeth Marie Marescot

Elizabeth Marie Marescot (née Villarson) passed away at the age of 83 on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. She was born to Hamery (“Mimi”) and Melvina (“Mommy Mel”) Villarson on March 27, 1937 in St. Jean du Sud, Haiti. She was the eldest of nine siblings: Michelle (deceased), Antoine (deceased), Pierre, Martin, Landes, Gerard, Yoléne and Marie-Lourdes. She dedicated her career to teaching and helping others, working first as an Elementary School Teacher in Haiti, then later as a Residential Health Care Facility Nurse Aide to special needs patients at Camp Venture Inc. in New York.

She married Joseph Louis Marescot in 1963 and raised seven children together: Bethie, Jean, Dominique, Emanuel, Willy, Pierre and David. Family was a cherished part of her life. After immigrating to New York City in 1968, she spent her days working and establishing a family of first-generation Haitian children in the U.S. She bought her first house in Brooklyn and later moved to Nanuet, NY in 1982, where many more memories and traditions were fostered in years to come. Christmas was one of her favorite times of year, where she created the tradition of family dinner, midnight mass, and staying up all night into Christmas morning to spend time together and open presents - a tradition her family still upholds to this day, staying up until 8:30 in the morning for one Christmas celebration! A birthday never went by without a birthday cake and the gathering of family to celebrate.

Her Catholic faith was extremely important to her. She was an active member of St. Joseph’s Parish in Spring Valley, NY, where she found lifelong friends and grew her relationship with Christ. She often traveled to various parts of the world with her church, including religious cities like Jerusalem & Fatima, as well as countries such Montserrat, Portugal, Croatia, Canada & Italy, creating memories centered in her faith to last a lifetime. Elizabeth was a 3rd Order Member of the Augustian Recollects and she was an active member of several parish prayer groups, such as Coeur Immaculée de Marie & Group de L’Ouange.

Elizabeth’s love and prayers covered many, from her siblings to her children, her husband, grandchildren and many friends. She will always be remembered as a devout follower of Christ, a teacher, traveler, matriarch and a selfless friend. She will be missed dearly. She is survived by her husband Joseph, her children: Bethie, Jean, Dominique, Emanuel, Willy, Pierre and David; her siblings: Pierre, Martin, Landes, Gerard and Yolene; and 16 grandchildren: Philip, Christine, Arielle, Nicholas, Preston, Terese, Christopher, Tyler, Kaylah, Zoe, Grace, Takumi, Tiffany, Jonathan, Hiroto and Yutaka.

Elizabeth’s final viewing will be held on Friday, August 21, 2020 from 4 PM - 8 PM at Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home in Suffern, NY. Her funeral mass will be held at her parish church St. Joseph & St. Boniface in Spring Valley at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 22, 2020. Burial will follow immediately after mass at Ascension Cemetery in Airmont, NY. As an additional way to commemorate her life, we encourage you to send a donation to either her parish church St. Joseph & St. Boniface in Spring Valley, NY or the National Alzheimer’s Association. We welcome you to celebrate the life and legacy of Elizabeth Marie Marescot, may she rest in peace.