A SPECIAL SECTION:  Haiti, Since the January 12, 2010 Earthquake

Joseph Cedanor Luc, a longtime Boston's die-hard anti-dictatorship activist died. Aged 70

By Yves A. Isidor, Wehaitians.com Executive Editor

CAMBRIDGE, MA, Mar. 25 - Joseph Cedanor Luc, who emigrated to the Boston area from Haiti more than four decades ago, after honorably serving in the long disbanded Haitian army, graduating from law school, in the latter nation, to become a longtime die-hard anti-dictatorship activist, successfully pursue graduate study, in the field of education, died early Sunday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, in the nearby northwest of Boston small city of Medford, also of complications from heart disease. He was 70.

Not all anti-dictatorship activists peacefully voice their opposition to the office or tenure of a dictator the same way. In early 1986, a few weeks before the longtime self-declared, inherited regime (from his father, Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier) for life of Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier that had absolute or despotic control or power was finally sent into disuse, during a protest in front of the Boston's Haitian consulate, then situated on that city's Washington Street (Downtown Boston), Mr. Luc was observed balancing an empty coffin on top of his head. On that particular oblong box read a few very seducing letters, all legibly written in white ink. "Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, your murderous dictatorship, this is where you both belong to." This, in fact, in scale was extremely more than the unpleasant message other dictators, too, would not be inclined to read, would cause them, without hesitation, to brutally send untold number of democracy advocates, their family members to the dark embrace of death for daring reading so, even at a great distance. But that was long after he was, in 1982, the Boston's official representative or chairman of Bernard Sansaricq's (his family was also decimated by the elder, bloodthirsty Duvalier) anti-dictatorship movement, one that launched three unsuccessful invasions of Haiti to unseat the porcine Duvalier.

Mr. Luc, who with the author of this obituary article, the apparently timid Mr. Elie Jeremie (the son of a former prominent Haitian Armed Forces colonel, Samuel Jeremie), in the early 1980s, with favorable outcome subjected himself to the rigors of an examination, at the then Boston State College, so he could ultimately become a certified public school teacher, in the Boston Public School system, and for a long duration of time so, a few months ago had his first book, Flambeau Sur Haiti (Literally, Torch on Haiti), on Haitian history published. Sure the publication of this very important historical work subsequently generated untold number of positive comments, and so descriptive statements associated with it today continue to be in the positive terms. 

This is not to say the corpulent Mr. Luc, the man who did not have tall height was a professional guitar player, a person who professionally played the accordion. But the omission of his indisputable love for playing, with regularity, both musical instruments would certainly be a striking one, as does his passion for simultaneously intoning his preferred self-written piece of music for voice, Ma Chanson or My Song, to provide himself, friends with amusement or entertainment.

In addition to his wife Suze Luc, born Cheremond, Mr. Luc is survived by seven adult progenies. They all are: Rolare L. Dorvil, Suzelle Luc (a medical doctor, by training), Nancy Luc, Harold Luc (Julian), Jean Mary Luc (Elder), and Claudy Jeune.

Funeral services, as to when and where family members, friends and others will converge to say adieu to Mr. Luc, who in addition to a businessman was a radio personality, will be at Saint Ann Roman Catholic Church, 399 Medford Street, Somerville, MA., Saturday, March 31, 2012, at 10:00 AM. (Telephone #: (617) 625-1904). His remains will be interred at Oak Grove Cemetery, in Medford, but not before a watch (wake) over his body that will commence, the day before or Friday, March 30, 2012, at 4:00 and end at 8:00 PM the same day at Keefe Funeral Home, 2175 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA. Telephone #: 617-547-5544.    

God also proceeded to form the man named Joseph Cedanor Luc out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, to paraphrase Gen. 2:7, and then his body, not his soul that refers to the theoretical entity that exists inside, has now permanently departed us. Like an enumerable number of both, men and women, before him, may he rest in peace. Amen!

• Mr. Luc, also in pictures