Her large family and friends mark the day
Friends and family traveled from near and far last Sunday to celebrate the 106th birthday of Elide Charles, a long-time Dorchester resident who arrived in the neighborhood with her Haitian family in 1969.
Born on Dec. 1, 1919, in Jacmel, Charles is the sole survivor of three siblings. She married Pierre Eliménes Charles in Jacmel, and raised his two boys, Eddie and Jersainte, as her stepsons before the family moved to Port-au-Prince and she and Pierre had three daughters – Florence, Danielle, and Chantal.
Like many at the time, the couple were early supporters of Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier and campaigned for him to become president. But as the regime began to commit atrocities against Haitian people, they withdrew their support and as a result became targets for reprisals, forcing them to flee to the United States.
Pierre came by himself first, and then sent for Elide, who came to Dorchester in August 1969. The five children arrived the next month and the family settled on Johnson Road. Elide and Pierre later bought a home on Norfolk Street in Dorchester.
Members of the Charles family recalled that there were only a few Haitians in the area when Pierre and Elide moved there and that it would be a rare occurrence if they heard Haitian Kreyol being spoken in public.
Elide was a homemaker most of her life and enjoyed cooking for large groups. She was also known for taking in people who had hit hard times and didn’t have anywhere to go.
She later took up residence on Huntington Avenue for many years, then moved back to Dorchester with her daughters, and currently splits time with family on Arbella Road and in Dallas, Texas.
Elide is a dedicated member of the Boston Church of Christ Southern Cities Region and continues to lead an astonishingly active lifestyle for a person of her age.
“I want to thank God for everyone who has celebrated my birthday with me, and I am grateful for all of you,” she told a crowd that included dozens of relatives on Sunday night.
