Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste Jr.

November 7, 2020

Ladies and gentlemen, family members, and respectable guests, we are gathered here today to say a final goodbye to Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Jr.

Throughout his lifetime, Jr. has been a true gentleman and a respectable Catholic Christian. Every Sunday, rain or shine, Jr. made it his duty to function as an usher in his church, Saints Joachim and Anne in Queens Village. Every year after the procession for the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jr. liked to personally carry the statue of Saint Anne back to the church. Ironically, Jean-Fritz, Jr. died during the early morning hours of Easter Sunday. All of us know that day is considered as the resurrection of Jesus. Maybe God had chosen that moment to open gloriously the gates of heaven to Jean-Fritz, Jr. What is surprising, this guy never complained about major sickness and carried a happy face when meeting everyone. Suddenly, my son is no longer here. Honestly as Christians we know that life involves death and resurrection. However, I miss him and suffer internally a lot. Imagine Jean-Fritz Jr. was not only my son but also one of my best friends. He provided me with everything: clothing, money, food, and did not even leave me time to shop for accessories. For that reason, anytime I turn in around my house, I stumble on articles he bought for me. Sincerely I miss him a lot.

Jean-Fritz, Jr. was a smart person. He was educated through the Roman Catholic institutions. He graduated from elementary school at Saints Joachim and Anne School. He went to Saint John’s Prep High School in Queens, New York and then went to Saint John’s University where he earned a bachelors’ degree in Criminal Justice and finally earned his Masters’ degree in Public Administration. By the way, this was not all, he also earned a certificate at TCI which allowed him to work for some time at Queensborough Community College. Still, he found time to challenge his current job position at Family Court to successfully pass an exam to be qualified as a senior clerk in Family Court recently and was assigned to the Bronx Housing Court. Quietly my son was a busy person and respectably shared a laugh among friends and neighbors.

Until today I never met a person who did not talk with high marks of consideration about Jean-Fritz, Jr. This guy cherished his friends and highly respected his boss and his staff. Surprisingly, he never called sick on his job and always organized his leave of absence with his boss.

Now the reality is that I do not have a son: my unique son. He is gone forever but now allow me to consider all of you, regardless of age, in this room as my sons and daughters in Christ. I ask you to join with me and my family in prayer so that the voyage of Jean-Fritz, Jr. to God be a light and happy one.

May his soul rest in peace.

Thank you for your support and compassion,

Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Sr.

Eulogy for Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Jr.

(from: Linda Jean-Baptiste)

November 7, 2020

Good morning family members, friends, and co-workers. I want to first give my heartfelt thanks to all of you gathered here today to honor my brother Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Jr. Even as I stand here to give you this speech about the life of my brother, my words cannot describe how much my father, mother, and I still grieve for him 7 months later. He is in our thoughts and prayers daily. My parents and I sometimes still mention his name in conversation because we all still feel his presence in our home. My brother has truly touched the lives of many people by his services and acts of kindness. Jean-Fritz, Jr. was best remembered by others as a gentle, honest, hardworking, religiously faithful man. However, as his sister who grew up with him in the same home, I remembered him best as a person who stood out in a crowd by his actions. In his early elementary school years, he played the piano with me his sister and competed in piano recitals at Carnegie Hall, Cami Hall, various Jewish synagogues, and other venues under the tutelage of the late Mrs. Lilly Ashkenazi. Even at the tender age of 5 years old, he would bow to the audience after every performance. This graceful gesture would ignite loud applause from spectators. He also stood out from the crowd in his public services. He used to be a poll worker during the primary and general elections. He was an intern for Council member Leroy Comry /Majority Whip of the 27th Council in Queens county. He served as usher for many years at his parish Saints Joachim and Anne Church and annually he was the person who carried the statue of Saint Anne back to the church after the end of the procession.

Jean-Fritz Jr., even though he was my younger brother, was an intelligent and wise person. I always came to him to ask for advice and his responses helped me resolve issues I could not tackle alone. He was my brother, my peer advisor, and my first best friend. Now with his passing, I feel a void inside me and inside my home. Life will never be the same now that my parents and I have lost a dear person who would make us laugh and enlighten our spirits.

In closing, I ask all of you—family, friends, and co-workers—to join me in prayer so that my brother’s journey to meet God is a happy, peaceful, and uneventful path. The fact that his death occurred on the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected from death shows how pure and honest my brother was in his lifetime. May his soul rest in peace and may God bless him forever more.

Thank you,

Linda Jean-Baptiste

Remembrance of My Nephew: Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Jr.

November 7, 2020

My name is Ketly Jean-Baptiste. I am Jean-Fritz Jr’s aunt, and I will speak on behalf of the Jean-Baptiste family. Jean-Fritz, Jr. was an intelligent young man. He was very charismatic and very thoughtful. He always respected everybody around him. He was a good son, grandson, and a good nephew. His grandmother, who is my mother, was always happy to see him whenever he came around to see her. He always put a smile on people’s faces. It is sad that today he is no longer here, but his memories will last longer within us. Jean-Fritz, Jr. always wanted everyone to be happy, so we must continue to stay strong and be happy because this is what he wanted; that was his wish for all of us. Now may his soul rest in peace.

Ketly Jean-Baptiste

Death Remembrance Mass Eulogy at Saints Joachim & Anne Church

April 12,2021 9:00AM

Dear Reverend Nixon and Parishioners,

This month makes one year since my younger brother, Jean-Fritz Jean-Baptiste, Jr., passed away. My family and I still feel sad that we lost him so soon but at the same time we rejoice that he lived a religious life. He was baptized, had first communion, and had confirmation at this church, and also graduated from Saints Joachim & Anne School before going onto Saint John’s Prep High School and then to Saint John’s University both for his Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees. Meanwhile, he served as usher every Sunday at this church for decades.

Today we are very pleased to join with you to celebrate this mass and ask God to bless his soul. He passed away exactly on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. Due to the pandemic situation, we could not have funeral service here in this church but today, finally, I am very pleased to be here with you to honor him and pray that his voyage to the Lord be a peaceful one.

Thank you on behalf of myself and my family for your support.

Jean-Fritz, Sr., Marie Edith and Linda Jean-Baptiste