Andre Pierre Romain

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 We wish to express genuine, heartfelt gratitude for the many kind and

beautiful expressions of sympathy, support, and love during our time of bereavement.

We sincerely appreciate each act of kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity

shared during this time.

– The Family of André Romain

ANDRÉ PIERRE ROMAIN

Sunday, January 28, 1940 – Sunday, June 9, 2024 

OBITUARY

André Pierre Romain was born on Sunday, January 28, 1940, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to the late Fannie Privert and Turenne Romain. He has one surviving brother– Camile Romain. He is preceded in death by siblings: Renée, Marthe, Solanges, Emmanuel, Vivianne and Junique.

André spent his youth in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and emigrated to the United States as a young man in his twenties. He was a brilliant artist who in his lifetime made groundbreaking Kompa jazz music with "Ibo Combo" in Haiti and abroad. He was a vocalist, guitarist, pianist, conga player, and dedicated band member. From his extensive 8 track tapes, albums, cassettes, CDs, and video collection, anyone who knew him would get to know his love of music and would invariably be introduced to new sounds of talented artists from around the world. André’s interests and talent in the arts also led him to learn photography and wood sculpting. André’s home became his art studio, and his family was gifted with learning the importance of regular practice as an important tool in striving for excellence.

Affectionately known as “Papi,” André was a man in a constant state of evolution and growth. He clearly understood his human limitations and still strived toward greatness each day. He was kind, loving, intellectually curious, and simultaneously a prolific student and sage teacher. He was a self-taught man and positively influenced so many with his wisdom, ingenuity, and humor.

He was a man who smiled often and devotedly uplifted the tenets of his Christian faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. He believed above all things, that we should have "intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). Brother Romain will be greatly missed by members of the Laurel and Bryans Road congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

André was a man greatly in love with his wife Gladys (Gladisse) and remained devoted to her for 55 years until his untimely passing. Together they were entrepreneurs and supported themselves and their family through independent and creative means.

In the later years of his life, André became a strong advocate for healthy lifestyles and would promote daily walking and grounding as restorative healing to everyone that he met. At the time of his passing at 84 years of age, he was walking over 17,000 steps (7.7 miles) regularly. His commitment to well-being, and holistic healing through plant-based, whole foods was an inspiration to all who knew and loved him.

André is survived by his children - Dudchen Romain, Patrick Edouard, Iman Shabazz (née Ingrid Regis), Régine Romain, and Natacha Romain. He was blessed to have 10 grandchildren: Stephanie, Yekini, Rachide, Tanika, Tiffani, Julien, Prince Aziz, Rahman, Aishah and Ngozi. He was further blessed to have 3 great-grandchildren: Alexa, Anika and Yonathan. He also had a sweet connection with Maximus, his canine “grandpup.”

André is loved and will be greatly missed by members of the Naar, Pierre, Bruno, Dumorné, Critchlow, Anderson, Paul, Pratt, and Wedderburn families, his daughter-in-law Ketzia Edouard and lifetime friends Alix Pascal and Antoine Bruno.

The voice of André Romain is immortalized through his music, which is still played in Haiti today. He leaves his family a tremendous legacy of his goodwill, artistry, and faith.