It was on Friday May 7 ^th , 1943 in Marigot, Haiti - with all the joy, hopes and fear that the birth of a new born conjures - that Odysse and Remercile Douillard Ladouceur welcomed their 5 ^th child to the world. They named him André –honored his older brother's Augustin as his middle name – Ladouceur; he was just Dre to his siblings. A few years later, Dre welcomed a younger sister Augusta to the fold – a sister who would be his closest friend until the day he died.

André Augustin Ladouceur (1943-2021), was surrounded by three brothers and two sisters who loved him not only as the youngest son but because he was particularly loveable – he had a keen sense of self, was affable, observant, a thinker who assessed and measured his words with a view to kindness, wisdom and thus knowledge. He was a visionary who dreamt of doing things that none in his family had thought about, much less achieved. It was these traits, that in André Ladouceur, became more evident even as he grew. It was obvious he was intelligent, but more importantly, he was a young man who was going places.

Completing his studies in Port-Au-Prince, at the age of 24 he immigrated to the United States to continue his lingering goal of higher education. Along the way, he was introduced to Micheline Gauchier by his eldest brother Danaus; falling head-over-heel he quickly asked and she agreed to be his wife. Together they would build a fortress à deux - founded on love and mutual respect. They supported each other's dreams at all costs and shared in each other's adventures for 53 years.

André balanced work, school and marital life almost effortlessly. Working odd jobs, he continued to focus on his education: first by attending the New York Academy of Sciences where he attained his masters in Linguistics and Polyglocy. In the course of this pursuit, together with his eldest brother, he began the process of getting his siblings into the United States. Shortly after finishing his masters, he was accepted to the New York Writers Institute (division of the Newspaper Institute of America) where he obtained another degree in Journalism. His siblings later arrived into the country, bringing their own spouses and children; yet, with laser-like focus on higher learning, Dre was accepted and completed his PhD at the Neotarian Fellowish and College of Philosophy.

Ton'/Tonton/Uncle Andre as he was known to the many children of his siblings was loved, respected and inspiring to us; he was another father-figure; the ultimate uncle: the cool uncle who spoiled us with attention; the uncle who was always ready with words of wisdom; gave us cash at every visit to buy the things that only kids would relish; took us clothes-shopping at the start of the school year (to help his siblings) and disciplined us with discernment when we'd disappoint through thought-provoking logic. Long after these nephews and nieces were grown – married men and women with children of our own - he knew our kid's names and repeated many of these same traits irrespective of our successes. Uncle Dre, was ever ready to reach out and check-in on us and delighted at the very sight of us. To us, this uncle was a giant among men.

He encouraged us to pursue higher-education; to find joy in our life-choices; to not be judgmental. To trust in the examples of our elders; to love unconditionally – even when we didn't always measure up to that high-bar. His life experiences, arguably, shaped many if not all of us: He worked for twenty-seven years as a Creole, French, and English interpreter for the U.S. Department of Justice in New York City, New Jersey and in Florida where he finally retired. His passion for writing, for lecturing on philosophy, linguistics, and journalism were palpable. If you enjoyed these subjects, it was a masterclass taught by your uncle; and if you were a passing observer, you couldn't be prouder at this intellectual titan who was our very own. His love of language – especially our own Creole that he often presented and defended as "Style Ladouceurien" - were manifested through countless unpublished and many published books: Une Merveille Haitienne D'Intéret Public; Scientific Verb Conjugating in the English Language; Langue Çaae, Logique 'Liie et Méthode 'Liie; and The Francreole Grammar – his last publication in 2011.

André, the man, husband of Micheline Ladouceur, brother of Danaus and Augusta Ladouceur, in-laws of Myrtha, Fritz, and Syndie left behind countless nephews and nieces, grand-nephews and nieces too many to mention, and dear friends and acquaintances who were blessed to have known him and even more to have loved him. He unquestionably showed up for us. And for that, he will never be forgotten and will live in each and every single one of us. This writer, and all my cousins are the sons and daughters he never had. He was the man whose style and grace and intellectualism proved to be the ultimate Ladouceur – for that we will forever love, respect and honor him for his foresightedness.

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