Elsie Leslie Blanc of Estate White Bay died on Thursday, April 1, at Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital. She was 65 years old.
She is survived by her daughters: Dawn C. Whyte-Rey, Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat and Brenda Lewis; sons: Bryan Reginald Merchant and Peter Chemist Merchant; grandchildren: Ronald, Violet and Latoya Rogers, Sheriise Rey, Claude E. Roberts III, Ian Lewis Jr., Bryan Merchant Jr., Brenisha Merchant and Walid Kherat; and great-grandchildren: Jerall and Jeniyah Nicholas, A’Jadii Soldiew, Israel Rogers and A’Naii Gonzales, She is also survived by sisters: Annette Walters, Athenia Espirit, Valena Fountain, Ruth Charles and Verona Collaire; brothers: Hemaud, Relton, Rawl, Vincent, Lincoln and Felix Leslie, Christian and Mitchell Paul; aunt, Eva Bannis; uncle, Shefford Bannis; daughter-in-law, Marie Merchant; sons-in-law: Roy Rey Sr. and Samir Kherat; adopted daughters: Juanita Fergus and April Woodard-Jackson; and special cousins: Kemus Gussie, Deltina Lewis, Sentillia Antoine and Frederick Leslie. Other survivors include special friends: Ma Ben and family, the Adams family, Emily, Johnny Tranberg, Patsy Carbon, Betty Wilson, the staff of Bohlke International, Deweese and family, the H&H family, Lucina Williams, Captain Glenda Lee and the Air National Guard family, the Public Safety Department, Pastor Benjamin, Governor John P. deJongh Jr.; and other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
There will be a viewing at 10 a.m. and a funeral service at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 12, at Calvary Baptist Church.
Professional arrangements are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home Inc.
The family requests that mourners wear pastel colors.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the establishment of Elsie Leslie Blanc Scholarship Fund for a graduating senior attending college from W.I.M. Hodge Authority. Please make check payable to:
V.I. Housing Authority, Elsie’s Scholarship Fund
P.O. Box 7668
St. Thomas, V.I. 00801