Service of Remembrance for Gabriel "Gaby" Dejoie, June 5, 1950 - September 29, 2016

Service of^mem6rance
for
Qa6rie[ Cjaby (Dejoie
June 5,1950 - September29, 2016
Lapafaite valeurest defaire sans temoin ce quon serait capaSCe defaire devant tout ie monde
True valor is to do in secrecy what you could just have easily done before others.
La Rochefoucauld.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
5:00 (PM.
W. K Mays Mortuary
1221 James (Brown (Boulevard
Augusta, CjA 30901
In Memory
What is the measure of a man?
Is it his commitment to doing good?
How he treats his neighbor?
How he gives and does not borrow?
How he rises early every day to gain knowledge or stays awake late at night to console a friend?
Is it his respect for both the strong and the vulnerable?
Is a man's worth measured by his ethics and his integrity?
His character, his values and determination?
Or is it what he builds with his own hands?
His consistency, his pride in his workmanship?
His passions and his loves?
His stand for the right?
How he cares for his family?
Or is it his ability to be both flawed and honorable at the same time?
Is it not all of these qualities that we recall as we remember Gabriel Dejoie?
Gaby was born in Gonaives, Haiti, to Lise Jacques and Gerard Gabriel Dejoie. He and his mother
relocated to Port-au-Prince where he was educated. After completing his formal education, Gaby
migrated to New York. Once there, he worked tirelessly in jobs of every sort to save the money needed
to return to his beloved Haiti and open his own business. Santana Bar was Gaby's first business and Port-
au-Prince's first disco. Profits from Santana allowed him to open La Caille Disco where musical virtuosos
like Joe Jacques and Ti Pierre and Claudette regularly performed. Gaby's entrepreneurial spirit led him
into the restaurant business, building construction, and even a sugar cane juice bar.
As well as by experiences, every man is shaped by things loved. Gaby's love of philosophical readings
expanded his mind and shaped his soul. He was fond of saying "A man who does not read cannot think!"
His love of music and visual art honed his appreciation of all artistic expression. His love for Joyce, his
wife of forty years, broadened his horizons as it was only with her that he'd board an airplane (Gaby
hated to fly!) to experience three weeks travelling throughout Italy. His love for his progeny (sons
Michael and Tony; daughters Sabrina and Ismaelia) and grandchildren (Larry and Brie) helped him realize
that both great challenges and great joys can come wrapped in the same individual package. Gaby's love
of sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews, a god child, and dear friends stretched his already big
heart even larger and filled it with unbridled joy.
Sensitive yet strong, gentle but determined, humble but also proud- that was Gaby Dejoie.
Dans La Memoire
\
A quoi mesure-t-on la valeur d'un homme?
\
A son attachement a faire le bien?
\
A la fagon dont il traite son voisin?
Au fait qu'il donne plus qu'il n'emprunte?
Au fait qu'il se leve chaque jour en quete de savoir, ou veille tard pour consoler un ami?
Au respect dont il fait preuve, a la fois envers les forts et les vulnerables?
La valeur d'un homme se mesure-t-elle a sa probite et a son integrite?
A son caractere, a ses valeurs, a sa determination?
Ou a ce qu'il batit de ses mains?
A sa Constance, a la fierte qu'il tire du fruit de son travail?
A ses passions et a ses amours?
A sa lutte pour la justice?
Au soin qu'il prend de sa famille?
Ou a sa faculte d'etre respectable, tout en etant faillible?
N'est-ce pas I'ensemble de ces qualites que nous associons a notre souvenir de Gabriel Dejoie?
Gaby est ne a Gonai'ves, Haiti, de I'union de Lise Jacques et de Gerard Gabriel Dejoie. II a demenage a
Port-au-Prince avec sa mere, et c'est 1a qu'il a ete eleve. Une fois sa scolarite effectuee, Gaby a
emigre a New York. Sur place, il a travaille sans relache dans divers domaines, afin de mettre de cote
I'argent qui lui permettrait de retourner en Haiti et de creer sa propre entreprise. Le Santana Bar a
ete la premiere entreprise de Gaby, et la premiere discotheque de Port-au-Prince. Les benefices du
Santana lui ont permis d'ouvrir le "La Caille Disco", ou des virtuoses de la musique, tels que Joe
Jacques, Ti Pierre et Claudette se produisaient regulierement. L'esprit d'entreprise de Gaby I'a mene
a la restauration, a la construction de batiments et meme a I'ouverture d'un bar a canne a sucre.
Mais tout homme est fagonne par ce qu'il aime: I'amour que Gaby portait aux lectures philosophiques a
ouvert son esprit et forge son ame. II aimait a dire qu un homme qui ne lit pas ne peut pas
reflechir! . Son amour de la musique et des arts plastiques aiguisait son gout de I'expression
artistique. Lamour qu'il portait a Joyce, sa femme pendant quarante ans, a elargi ses horizons, car ce
n'est qu'avec elle qu'il acceptait d'embarquer dans un avion (Gaby detestait I'avionl), pour passer trois
semaines a parcourir I'Italie. L'amour de ses enfants (ses fils Michael et Tony, ses filles Sabrina et
Ismaelia), ainsi que de ses petits-enfants (Larry et Brie), lui a permis de realiser que les plus grands
defis et les plus grandes joies vont de pair. L'affection de Gaby pour ses soeurs, ses freres, ses
cousins et ses amis proches epanouissait son coeur deja grand et le remplissait d'une immense joie. II
etait sensible, mais fort, doux, mais resolu, humble, mais egalement fier. Voila qui etait Gaby Dejoie.
<7Tie Order of Service
Ordre de Service
Opening (Remarks (Mot douverture)
MusicalSelection JiveMaria
Homily
Reading (Lecture du (prophete)
(jahys Memoir
MusicalSelection Without A Song"
Reflections
Mr. Ro6ert Louis (friend)
Mr. Lesly <Booz (friend)
Violin Selection
The Charge
Mr. Hervey Dejoie
Mrs. Audrey M. Thomas
Rev. Dr. Melvin Lowry
Mrs. (Betty Tyume
Silent reading (lecture silencieuse)
Mrs. Audrey M. Thomas
Triends andTamily
Miss Ismaelia Dejoie (daughter)
Mr. Michael Dejoie (son)
Miss Ro6yn Louis (goddaughter)
Mr. Herve Dejoie
MjVFPXECIATlCfH
Tor every visit, for every card, for every prayer, for every act of hindness, we than h,each of you.
Tour chaque visite, pour chaque carte, de chaque priere, pour chaque acte de 6onte, nous vous
en remercions.