Obituary of Osenaide Napoleon

Osenaide “Soeur Mama, Grun” Napoleon passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at the age of 91. She is survived by her children Frantz Berthaud, Marie Berthaud-Gay, and Gary Berthaud, as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She is also survived by her two brothers Sylveus and Michel Napoleon. Grun is preceded in death by her four sisters Clemance, Sylvina, and Izalienne Napoleon, as well as Telisna Chevalier. Soeur Mama was born on April 22, 1929 in Chalier, Petite-Riviere-de-Nippes to Osnack Napoleon and Cilia Augustave. Growing up, she was always outgoing, friendly, and family-oriented. She has made many friends over the years who she has remained close with during her life. As a young woman, she moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti where she would spend all of her adult years before moving to the United States. In the early 1950s, while living in Port-au-Prince, she met Arsene Berthaud, who would become the father of her children. In addition to her three children, Grun had a full house raising her nephews. She earned the nickname “Grun” after starring in a play as the grandma long before she was a grandmother herself. This nickname was perfectly appropriate because Grun has always been a mother-figure and a warm and welcoming soul to everyone. She became very involved doing evangelical work with her church in Haiti and joined the church group La Sainte Famille. With Saint Famille, she went on mission trips to the countryside, attended prayer meetings, and participated in a choir at Saint Bernadette Church in Martissant. Soeur Mama remained an active member of the group even when she moved to the U.S. In 1992, Grun left her home in Haiti and moved to Brooklyn, NY to live with her daughter Marie Berthaud-Gay and her son-in-law Jean Dumas Gay. During her new life in the U.S., she lovingly cared for all the children of the Gay and Berthaud family. Grun was a strong woman of faith, an excellent storyteller, and a friend to everyone. Her kindness and generosity was a hallmark of her personality. Because of this, she established many friendships and built close relationships with many different people of all ages, and ethnicities. Everyone remembers her as someone who always had a kind smile, a warm heart, and a sweet treat. She lived a long life despite being diagnosed with diabetes, through her strong will to eat well, take her medication, and stay active. Those particularly touched by her death are her close family by the last names: Archille, Augustin, Berthaud, Bienvenu, Chevalier, Gay, and Napoleon. She leaves behind a loving church family in addition to her many family members and friends. A funeral is scheduled for Monday, December 28, 2020 at Our Lady of Miracles Church with an interment to follow at Canarise Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.