MARIE REGINE CHARLES

Marie Regine Charles, a woman of deep love, compassion, and unwavering devotion to family, was born on October 7, 1956, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Lionel Charles and Adeline Ambroise Romain. The first of six children, she showed remarkable resilience early in life, surviving polio as a toddler. From a young age, her capacity to unite, nurture, and lead others became second nature. Throughout her life, she led by example—through her words, her guidance, and her actions. She was known for being honest, fair, loving, and never judgmental. Regine began her education in Haiti at Les Sœurs Externat La Providence and Centre d’Études Secondaires, where she excelled academically. In 1971, at the age of fifteen, she and her brother immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, to join their parents, Adeline and Jean Emile Romain. She attended Mission Church High School and St. Peter Catholic High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, continuing to distinguish herself as a strong student. She also studied classical piano for fourteen years and was an accomplished player. Regine was active and well-loved in the close-knit Haitian community and was a member of L’Alliance Féminine de Boston, a multi-generational mother-and-daughter civic and social club. She later attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst in pursuit of a degree in nursing but soon realized it was not her calling. After moving to South Florida, she enrolled at Miami Dade Community College and earned an associate degree in Broadcasting Communications, with hopes of returning to Haiti to contribute to Télévision Nationale d’Haïti. Political instability in the country prevented that dream from materializing. Determined to continue her education, she later attended Nova Southeastern University part-time while working full-time and earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies. Regine dedicated 39 years of service to the U.S. government. In 1979, she was hired as an immigration interpreter at the Krome Detention Center. She was promoted and transferred to Miami International Airport as an Immigration Inspector, and later to the immigration office on Biscayne Boulevard and 79th Street near Little Haiti as an Immigration Adjudicator. After resigning from the INS, she spent seven years with Catholic Charities in their legal services department, assisting clients in their pursuit of legal immigration status and advocating on their behalf. She eventually returned to public service with the Department of Homeland Security as an Immigration Adjudicator in the West Palm Beach office. She was also entrusted with hosting a weekly segment on Radio Haïti Amérique Internationale, providing the community with accurate and practical immigration information. She declined a higher position when it was offered and eventually retired in 2025 as a Senior Immigration Adjudicator. Throughout her career, she was known for her professionalism, integrity, compassion, and her willingness to always go the extra mile for those she served. In her personal life, Ginou—as she was affectionately known—was a devoted single mother who cherished her children, grandchild, and extended family. On January 1, 2026, to celebrate Haitian Independence Day, she prepared a large pot of soup joumou, cooked every favorite Haitian dish and dessert, and welcomed her family for a day filled with food, drinks, music, and live drumming. Regine will be fondly remembered as a generous and gifted culinary artist who loved bringing people together around a table.

MARIE REGINE CHARLES

October 7, 1956 - January 25, 2026

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