Monique Marie-Jeanne Salgado

Monique Marie-Jeanne Salgado
1934 – 2022

Our beloved mother’s life journey began on July 31, 1934 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where she was born in the family home of her maternal grandparents, the first child of Emile Villedrouin and Clothilde Armand Villedrouin. She joined a family whose history is deeply entwined with the history of her treasured country, tracing back to the earliest moments of the country’s emancipation from slavery when her second maternal great grandfather, Joseph Armand des Platons, organized revolts for Haiti’s independence from France as a former slave and later became a General in Toussaint Louverture’s Army. Her maternal grandmother Jeanne Laduree Armand, was the niece of Louis Ernest Laduree of the eponymous Parisian tea house and confectionary that after 160 years, continues to make the world’s most appreciated Macarons. Monique, heralding these traits, was the perfect balance of resilience and grace, determination and sweetness.

Growing up in her large and very close-knit family, which included her many beloved Uncles and Aunts; her formative values were integrity, selflessness, tolerance, courage, and kindness to all. She unfailingly carried these with her throughout her remarkable life.

Upon her graduation from Skidmore College, NY (BA Art History), she returned to Haiti with the intention to pursue a career in Interior Design. A re-acquaintance with the well-known Pediatrician, Pierre Salgado, intervened with her plans. They soon became a couple and were married in June 1956, to much celebration. They lived and traveled in Mexico City and Los Angeles where Pierre was invited to participate in research projects, and in each location, Monique embraced the community, the language and the culture around her. Over the next several years, they started a family and settled into what they dreamed would be a quiet and comfortable life among beloved family and friends, dedicated to enhancing health care to the children of Haiti. Unfortunately, history and politics conspired against those plans.

After a long separation from her husband while he established himself in the San Francisco Bay Area, Monique packed her three young children and journeyed to California to join him, arriving in El Cerrito where she had no friends, no family, and no community. She changed that immediately, quickly becoming active in the neighborhood, taking art classes, joining the volleyball and tennis teams, and zipping her children around to endless classes and activities, fitting a record number of carpooling swimmers in her 1966 Renault (before seat-belts) and whipping together incredible meals at the drop of a pin for last minute guests. She created an environment in our family home where everyone was cordially welcomed, and her holiday parties were gatherings for dozens of old and new friends who, like her own family, had no other family nearby. Her genuine interest in others showed an uncommon gentleness that all our friends grew to love and appreciate. She always made others feel so important when she, in fact, was the one lighting up the room with her radiant smile and deep laugh. Her love of life, culture and community and her insatiable curiosity never waned as she traveled to China, Thailand, Bosnia, France, Spain, Scotland, Italy, Jordan and Columbia, in addition to frequent trips to Haiti to see her family. Her willingness to try just about any new adventure was a source of constant delight for her, and for those whom she regaled with hilarious stories of her adventures and witty observations. Her intelligence and style were only outweighed by her natural charm and authentic sense of joy, and of her innumerable gifts, she was an invariably modest person and one who deeply cared for others, always putting them before herself. Her enduring faith remained a constant source of comfort and guidance throughout her life, leading her to join The Carmelite Third Order through her dedication and service to others.

Mom’s remarkable journey ended on November 11, 2022 and reunites her in heaven with our Dad and their granddaughter Michaela. The delight of her life were her children and grandchildren; our Mom simply beamed with gratitude for all of us. Each one, a gift from heaven and an endless source of joy.

Monique was predeceased by Pierre after 45 years of marriage in 2000; she leaves her brothers Roger-Armand Villedrouin (Marlen), Pierre-Richard Villedrouin (Monique); her children Veronique Salgado, Jean-Pierre Salgado (Melane), Isabelle Salgado (Eric Esler), Nicholas Salgado (Elsa); her grandchildren Debon-Emile and Savan George-Phillipe Salgado, Gabriel, Daniel and Julian Esler, Jordan and Ella Salgado and many beloved nieces and nephews.

We give special thanks for Hospice of the East Bay for their tender care these last months. In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution to one of these worthy charitable organizations, working to relieve hunger and improve medical care for our brothers and sisters, the people of Haiti.
• The Grant Foundation d/b/a Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti
• Partners in Health Haiti
• Food for the Poor Haiti

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