Susana Alia Duclos Fraïs was born on May 3, 1923, in a small and quiet village called Car-Paul in the Northwest region of Haiti. She was the daughter of Cleresias Duclos and TeraanciaVincent, a respec

Susana Alia Duclos Fraïs was born on May 3, 1923, in a small and quiet village called Car-Paul in the Northwest region of Haiti. She was the daughter of Cleresias Duclos and TeraanciaVincent, a respected couple known for their integrity and service within their community. Susana was the fourth of seven children and the last surviving among her siblings.Her birth name, Susana Alia, carries a beautiful meaning in Hebrew, symbolizing the lily, rose, or lotus flower — emblems of purity, beauty, and grace. These qualities would later define the life she lived and the legacy she left behind.Raised without material luxury, Susana developed a life shaped by discipline, determination, and the noble character described in Proverbs 31.From a young age, she worked alongside her parents and siblings, learning the values of hard work, perseverance, and responsibility. She became skilled as a farmer, merchant, and homemaker - experiences that built the resilient foundation that would define her life.During her teenage years, Susana attended trade school where she learned how to sew and crochet. She later worked as a couturière, sewing garments for people in her community​​On July 16, 1951, at the age of 29, Susana married FrageneJnBaptiste Fraïs. Together, they built a loving home and raised nine children, forming a strong and united family rooted in faith and mutual respect.Within her community, Susana was known and respected for her kindness, wisdom, vision, strength, and generosity. She valued every person she met and often treated her neighbors’ children as if they were her own.A Woman of Noble CharacterSusana was truly a woman of noble character who lived according to strong principles and unwavering faith.Proverbs 31 describes a woman of noble character as virtuous, strong, and capable — a woman whose worth far exceeds material riches. She is known for wisdom, diligence, kindness, and reverence for the Lord, bringing honor to her family through her generosity and faithful service.Throughout her life, Susana embodied these qualities.She was a virtuous woman with dignity and self-worth. Her confidence could even be seen in the rhythm of her walk. She knew her value and never sought validation from others, because she believed in who God created her to be — a daughter of the Most High King - she lived and carried herself as such.A devoted woman of faith, Susana accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age and served faithfully as a deaconess in her church. She made God the foundation of her life and used her gifts, resources, and time to support her church, uplift her community, and advocate for those in need.When a neighbor faced hardship, Susana was often the first to arrive, ready to help. She advocated for those who could not speak for themselves and extended compassion to those in need.She did not simply show up with words — she showed up with action.Susana was kind and very generous. Whenever she saw an opportunity to help, she never waited for someone else to take the first step. She stepped forward without hesitation and without expecting recognition.Her generosity was quiet yet powerful — never seeking recognition, only seeking to do what honored God.When betrayal came, she did not retaliate. Instead, she fell to her knees in prayer and trusted the Lord to fight her battles. Guided by reverence for God, she led with wisdom, patience, and restraint.A Home Built on Faith and GratitudeSusana believed that every blessing came from God. She taught her children to always remain humble and to be grateful.In her home, she reminded them to thank God before thanking her, because she believed she was simply a vessel through whom God blessed others.A phrase often echoed in her household like a hymn:“Merci Bon Dieu, Merci Manman.”(Thank you God, thank you Mother.)Every time she gave something to her children, they were reminded to acknowledge their true provider — the Lord Almighty.Susana also believed strongly in discipline and boundaries. She established clear expectations in her home, and her children respected her deeply because they knew she stood firmly on her principles.She loved her children deeply, but she also corrected them when necessary. She did not tolerate disrespect and never allowed herself to be treated as an option.She lived authentically and never compromised her values simply to fit in.A Visionary and ProviderAlthough Susana did not have the opportunity to pursue extensive formal education, she believed deeply in the power of education. She fought tirelessly to ensure that all of her children received schooling and encouraged others in her community to invest in their children's futures.She worked alongside her husband as a farmer cultivating the land. She sewed clothing, traded goods, and worked as a “Madan Sarah,” traveling to Haiti’s capital to purchase merchandise that she brought back to sell in her hometown.Every sacrifice she made had one purpose — to provide opportunities and education for her children.She also became known as a pioneering figure in her community, teaching sewing to many young girls and eventually establishing her own sewing school in her hometown.The Vision of an EagleSusana possessed what could only be described as an eagle’s vision.Eagles are known for their extraordinary ability to see far into the distance — sometimes up to five miles away. But what makes their vision truly remarkable is their ability to stay focus. Even when surrounded by countless distractions, an eagle remains locked on its purpose.That was Susana.She refused to let noise distract her.She refused to let hardship define her.She understood that sometimes the strongest position is on one’s knees in prayer, trusting God with what cannot be explained.Storms may shake an eagle —but they cannot stop it from flying.Trials, Loss, and Unshakable FaithSusana’s life was not without pain.Life tested her in ways that would have broken many.She buried three of her children.She endured heartbreak, betrayal, and hardship.But Susana did not crumble.​She transformed her pain into prayer, her sorrow into strength, her grief into deeper compassion.In 1960, she lost her daughter Ismode Frais.In 1979, tragedy struck again when her son Yfanes Frais lost his life in a shipwreck while traveling to the United States in search of a better life.Instead of allowing grief to harden her heart, Susana chose another path. She poured even greater love into the children who remained while honoring the memory of those she had lost.She did not erase her pain.She transformed it.One year after losing her son, she made an extraordinary decision.In 1980, she boarded a boat and made the same journey that had taken her son's life, traveling to the United States.That was not just courage.That was resilience.That was faith.A New Life in AmericaArriving in America with little more than faith and determination, Susana began working in the orange fields.While working there, she started a small food business — cooking meals at home and selling them to fellow workers in the fields.She bought and resold goods, babysat many of her grandchildren, and continued sewing and crocheting. She made bedspreads and clothing to sell using the skills she had learned in Haiti.Susana never waited for opportunities.She created them.Like the eagle, storms shook her —but they never stopped her from flying.“A DO NO” — Words of WisdomAlthough she never formally learned English, Susana mastered two simple words that guided her life in America:“A DO NO.”Those words protected her from gossip, unnecessary conflict, and distractions that could have pulled her away from her purpose.Despite language barriers, she worked tirelessly and helped bring many family members to the United States — including children, nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, and friends — so they too could pursue better opportunities.Giving was not something Susana did occasionally.Giving was who she was.She lived by the wisdom found in the Epistle of James:to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.She avoided gossip.She avoided chaos.Often she would simply say:“A DO NO.”That was not weakness.That was power under control.Love, Loss, and LegacyIn 1997, she endured another painful loss when her daughter Claudette passed away.In 2010, she lost her beloved husband, Fragene Jn-Baptiste Frais.Yet even through grief, Susana remained strong, trusting God to renew her strength.She carried pain in one hand and prayer in the other.When life’s storms came, she soared — not by her own strength, but by trusting in God’s promises.A Life That Touched GenerationsSusana’s sacrifices opened doors for generations.Her legacy lives not only through her children but through every life she touched and the community she helped shape.She became a beacon of light — inspiring others to take risks, persevere through adversity, and trust in God.Those who knew Susana saw a woman who trusted deeply in the God she served.They saw a woman who forgave with grace and loved without condition.Her Final JourneySusana passed away peacefully at her residence in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday, February 20, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones — children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.She was the beloved matriarch of our family and a faithful servant of God, lovingly known as Man Fragene, Manman, Gran, and Grun.She lived 102 years and 9 months.She lived long.But more importantly —She lived strong. She lived long enough to witness five generations of her family.Her years were not merely measured in time.They were measured in:Vision.Resilience.Determination.Protection.Independence.And Faith.Cherished and Remembered By2nd Generation (Children)Fidel Frais, Duvalus Frais, Amania Nelson, Rosius Frais, Rosilien Frais, Resilia Marcellus3rd Generation (Grandchildren)Bernadette William, Willy William, Ritha William, Wilda WilliamStephanie Frais, Lisa Francis, Marcson Frais, Rodney FraisNohemie Frais, Sandina Frais, Rolens FraisDave Nelson, Edwin NelsonOsee Frais, Joshua FraisLayla Frais, Alex Frais, Alix FraisMarvens Marcellus, Vanessa Marcellus, Jayden Marcellus4th Generation (Great-Grandchildren)Wil William, Kadwesley Dorelien, Lud DorelienJayson Francois, Alexis William, Bradley William, Elijah William, Isaiah WilliamJohana Theodore, Ruby Theodore, Jordyn TheodoreRoodson Belizaire, Kyle Belizaire, Kaison Belizaire5th Generation (Great-Great-Grandchildren)A’maiya KingDaughters and Sons-in-LawRutha Frais, Almase Julien, Anouse Frais, Rosemida Frais, Margan Marcellus, MorangeDorelien, Robinson Belizaire, Keji AdeyemiHer Sister and Brother-in-LawMadame Constantin DuclosVilbonheur FraisNieces and NephewsMadame Elissaint Telusma, Adancia Duclos, Roselene Duclos, Inilia Duclos, LibersoOscar, Therancile OscarElissel Duclos, Olianna Duclos, Clemilor Duclos, Ceriles Duclos, Brunot Duclos, BreniseJean, Cassandre Cinor, Bernard DuclosIndris Duclos, Clausane Frais, Alcinette Duclos, Wilbert DuclosCleanor Duclos, Yvoncia Duclos, Albertha Duclos, Anacel Duclos, Libenais Duclos,Paulette Duclos, Ophny DuclosNavelie Frais, Mauralis Frais, Ceder FraisAniece Frais, Yves-Rose Frais, Duronick FraisEmartel Frais, Dalise Frais, Jesula Frais, Suzette FraisGermaine Frais, Djimi FraisEnide Charlestin, Maxene Charlestin, Elandieu CharlestinExtended FamiliesThe Frais, Duclos, Sainval, Dieujuste, Belizaire, Ulysse, Salomon, Toussaint, Etienne, andJulien families.