Jean Posner Mede

Jean Posner Médé (NeNe), 86, of Maplewood, NJ passed away on Jan. 6, 2024.
He was born the second oldest of 8 children on December 13, 1937 to Armand
Médé and Marie Sylvina (Cénafils) Médé in Thomazeau, Haiti. By the age of 17, NeNe
lost his father and had to take a job to help his mother raise his siblings, although finding
work was difficult. He was an auto mechanic for over a decade until he had the
opportunity to emigrate to the United States in the mid-1960s.
Although he spoke little English and faced challenges as a young immigrant,
NeNe remained determined to make the U.S. his adopted country. He became a
naturalized citizen and, after a few years, filed for his mother and siblings to join him in
Spring Valley, NY. He worked three jobs to support his family back in Haiti because the
political, social, and economic situation under Duvalier’s dictatorship made survival
difficult for them. As NeNe began to acculturate to the U.S., he met and fell in love with
his beautiful wife, Jeanette, in 1971, marrying her the same year. In 1972, they moved to
Newark, NJ, where they had two daughters, Mary-Judith and Gabrielle. He also had two
stepchildren, Kimps and Rose Gourdet.
As NeNe’s siblings immigrated and settled in New Jersey with their spouses and
children, he moved to Boston, MA for better job opportunities to raise his young family,
working there for Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center for nearly a decade as a
Building Supervisor. Years later, he returned to New Jersey where he worked in grounds
maintenance for Rutgers University-Newark for decades until he retired in 2003.
Those who knew NeNe were touched by his kindness, generosity, and love for his
family, friends, and Haiti. His loss saddens us.
NeNe was predeceased by his parents Armand and Marie Sylvina, older brother
Canova Médé, younger sisters Dieufils Médé and Idelourde Médé Petion, younger
brothers Monsignor Vital Médé and Bernard Médé, and nephew Emmanuel Florestal. He
is survived by his wife, daughters Mary-Judith Médé (Edward) and
Gabrielle Witter (husband: Kevin), and his four grandchildren (Janai, Jaelynn, Justin, and
Jayson). He is also survived by his sisters Bernadette Médé Pierre and Bergena Médé
Florestal and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and godchildren.
The family invites the community to join them in celebrating NeNe’s life and
legacy. A wake will be held Friday, January 19, 2024, at Galante Funeral Home, 2800
Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083, from 6-9 pm.
The mass will be held Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Good Shepherd Roman
Catholic Church, 285 Nesbit Terrace, Irvington, NJ 07111 at 10 am, followed by the
burial at Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, 1500 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, NJ
07083.