Obituary for Reine Zebrowski (Francillon)
Reine Zebrowski, 88, of Linden, NJ, passed away Wednesday, September 28 in RWJ University Hospital Rahway, NJ.
She was the loving wife of the late Joseph A. Zebrowski. They spent 31 wonderful years of marriage together before his passing in 2003.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she was the daughter of the late Sevignie Francillon and the late Regina (Pierre-Louis) Francillon.
Reine grew up in the small town of Beignet on the south coast of Haiti, and was educated in French Catholic schools. She spent her early career in administration with the Cities Service Oil Company, which was active in the Caribbean and Venezuela. This led to her transfer to the Cities Service office in the Wall Street district of New York, and to her eventual U.S. Citizenship. After marrying Joseph Zebrowski, she worked several jobs as an administrative assistant for the Federal government in Washington. Among them she served as a French translator for National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. When both she and Joseph retired from U.S. Civil Service, they moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where for eight years, Joseph advised Prince Khaled bin Sultan, royal head of air defense and commander of the First Gulf War. At the conclusion of their commitment to Saudi Arabia, and faced with the choice of living anywhere on the continent of North America, they chose their permanent home in Saylorsburg, PA. Upon Joseph's death in 2003, Reine eventually moved to Linden, NJ, to be near her beloved sister, Ritza Garone.
Reine was a dedicated member and choir soprano of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gilbert. Some time after Communion she relished a winning hand at black jack, and delighted in collecting a quarter from Father McCawley. She loved playing the piano, had a strong faith, and was a loving and caring stepmother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. Her French speaking younger generation revered her with a special name "Tante Amour". She will be deeply missed by all her friends and family.
She is survived by two stepsons, Joseph A. Zebrowski Jr., Alan Zebrowski; a stepdaughter, Marianne Vellis; two sisters, Giselle and Rosita; a sister-in-law, Phillipa; a nephew, William Garone; nieces, Madeleine; Maude, Gladys, Des; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, October 7 at 11:00 AM from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gilbert, with Father Robert Simon as celebrant. Burial will follow in Buena Vista Cemetery, Brodheadsville.
The Kresge Funeral Home, 1763 Route 209, Brodheadsville, is in charge of the arrangements.
www.kresgefuneralhome.com
She was the loving wife of the late Joseph A. Zebrowski. They spent 31 wonderful years of marriage together before his passing in 2003.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she was the daughter of the late Sevignie Francillon and the late Regina (Pierre-Louis) Francillon.
Reine grew up in the small town of Beignet on the south coast of Haiti, and was educated in French Catholic schools. She spent her early career in administration with the Cities Service Oil Company, which was active in the Caribbean and Venezuela. This led to her transfer to the Cities Service office in the Wall Street district of New York, and to her eventual U.S. Citizenship. After marrying Joseph Zebrowski, she worked several jobs as an administrative assistant for the Federal government in Washington. Among them she served as a French translator for National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. When both she and Joseph retired from U.S. Civil Service, they moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where for eight years, Joseph advised Prince Khaled bin Sultan, royal head of air defense and commander of the First Gulf War. At the conclusion of their commitment to Saudi Arabia, and faced with the choice of living anywhere on the continent of North America, they chose their permanent home in Saylorsburg, PA. Upon Joseph's death in 2003, Reine eventually moved to Linden, NJ, to be near her beloved sister, Ritza Garone.
Reine was a dedicated member and choir soprano of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gilbert. Some time after Communion she relished a winning hand at black jack, and delighted in collecting a quarter from Father McCawley. She loved playing the piano, had a strong faith, and was a loving and caring stepmother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. Her French speaking younger generation revered her with a special name "Tante Amour". She will be deeply missed by all her friends and family.
She is survived by two stepsons, Joseph A. Zebrowski Jr., Alan Zebrowski; a stepdaughter, Marianne Vellis; two sisters, Giselle and Rosita; a sister-in-law, Phillipa; a nephew, William Garone; nieces, Madeleine; Maude, Gladys, Des; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, October 7 at 11:00 AM from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gilbert, with Father Robert Simon as celebrant. Burial will follow in Buena Vista Cemetery, Brodheadsville.
The Kresge Funeral Home, 1763 Route 209, Brodheadsville, is in charge of the arrangements.
www.kresgefuneralhome.com