Obituary for Marguerite L Kelerchian
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Marguerite Lantelme Kelerchian, known to her friends, colleagues and family as “Midge”, on August 13, 2022. She was 100 years, 3 months old and a resident of Naples, Florida since 1984.
Midge was born in 1922, in St. Augustine, Florida, was one of 7 children (3 boys and 4 girls), and lived through the “Great Depressions” and World War II. Her parents, Zoe Choppard and Louis Lantelme were both from France. Midge’s predeceased siblings included 3 brothers, Henry Lantelme of St. Augustine, Fl., Peter Lantelme of Massapequa, N.Y., and young Rudy Lantelme of Goshen , N.Y., her 3 sisters, Henrietta L. Belth of Hempstead, N.Y., Antoinette Lantelme of Baldwin, N.Y., and now the only surviving member of her family Yvonne Lantelme Forrest, of Goshen, New York. The family left Florida for Long Beach, Long Island, New York in the 1920’s.
Midge met her first husband, Dr. Luis Fernandez Vidal, while training at Misericordia Hospital in New York City and graduated with her nursing degree (RN) in 1943. She married Luis in New York City in 1945. Shortly thereafter, Midge had her first child Rudolph L. and the family went on to leave New York for the beautiful island of Cuba.
She was an adventurer, the ONLY daughter of her family to have children and set out on her own.
1947 through 1953 found Midge and Dr. Fernandez living on his family finca (farm) in Oriente Province of Cuba. While there and bringing up her son, she helped her husband administer medical care to the community.
In 1953, with the political uncertainty of the “Cuban Revolution” and the emergence of Fidel Castro, she took her son and left Cuba to move back to New York (Long Beach), where her family gave her support while continuing her formal education in nursing (part-time evenings) while also working to matriculate for her position of School Nurse in the Long Beach Public School System. After accomplishing this goal, she moved with her son to Oceanside, New York, a few miles away from her family in Long Beach.
While in Oceanside, New York, Midge met her 2nd husband, George Kelerchian of Brooklyn, New York, a school administrator for the Oceanside Public School System. They married and she then had her 2nd child, a daughter, Zoe M. Unfortunately, her second husband George passed in 1976.
Midge and her daughter Zoe M. left the New York metropolitan area in 1984 and bought and settled in a home in Pelican Bay, Naples, Florida. While in Naples, she continued her loving profession as a school nurse at St. Anne’s School of Naples.
As an educator and care giver, Midge’s joy for life will be remembered with love by any and all who was touched by her, long after her passing. She loved teaching, learning and caring for her students for many years while being the school nurse at St. Anne’s and retiring in 2018.
Marguerite is survived by her son Rudi, daughter Zoe and their respective spouses, Tina and Patrick,
6 grand children (Kirsten, Zoe, Emilie, Colin, Margo and Olivia) and 2 great grandchildren (Graeme and Rhys). Survivors also include; 2 nieces (Caroline and Marianne), 5 nephews( William, Brian, Douglas, Christopher, and David) as well as the hundreds of children in the community whose lives were changed because of her caring and giving spirit.
There will be a Commemoration of Life event in the future to be announced shortly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving donations to:
The Midge Kelerchian Memorial Fund
ST. JUDE’S CHILDREN RESEARCH HOSPITAL
www.stjude.org
Midge was born in 1922, in St. Augustine, Florida, was one of 7 children (3 boys and 4 girls), and lived through the “Great Depressions” and World War II. Her parents, Zoe Choppard and Louis Lantelme were both from France. Midge’s predeceased siblings included 3 brothers, Henry Lantelme of St. Augustine, Fl., Peter Lantelme of Massapequa, N.Y., and young Rudy Lantelme of Goshen , N.Y., her 3 sisters, Henrietta L. Belth of Hempstead, N.Y., Antoinette Lantelme of Baldwin, N.Y., and now the only surviving member of her family Yvonne Lantelme Forrest, of Goshen, New York. The family left Florida for Long Beach, Long Island, New York in the 1920’s.
Midge met her first husband, Dr. Luis Fernandez Vidal, while training at Misericordia Hospital in New York City and graduated with her nursing degree (RN) in 1943. She married Luis in New York City in 1945. Shortly thereafter, Midge had her first child Rudolph L. and the family went on to leave New York for the beautiful island of Cuba.
She was an adventurer, the ONLY daughter of her family to have children and set out on her own.
1947 through 1953 found Midge and Dr. Fernandez living on his family finca (farm) in Oriente Province of Cuba. While there and bringing up her son, she helped her husband administer medical care to the community.
In 1953, with the political uncertainty of the “Cuban Revolution” and the emergence of Fidel Castro, she took her son and left Cuba to move back to New York (Long Beach), where her family gave her support while continuing her formal education in nursing (part-time evenings) while also working to matriculate for her position of School Nurse in the Long Beach Public School System. After accomplishing this goal, she moved with her son to Oceanside, New York, a few miles away from her family in Long Beach.
While in Oceanside, New York, Midge met her 2nd husband, George Kelerchian of Brooklyn, New York, a school administrator for the Oceanside Public School System. They married and she then had her 2nd child, a daughter, Zoe M. Unfortunately, her second husband George passed in 1976.
Midge and her daughter Zoe M. left the New York metropolitan area in 1984 and bought and settled in a home in Pelican Bay, Naples, Florida. While in Naples, she continued her loving profession as a school nurse at St. Anne’s School of Naples.
As an educator and care giver, Midge’s joy for life will be remembered with love by any and all who was touched by her, long after her passing. She loved teaching, learning and caring for her students for many years while being the school nurse at St. Anne’s and retiring in 2018.
Marguerite is survived by her son Rudi, daughter Zoe and their respective spouses, Tina and Patrick,
6 grand children (Kirsten, Zoe, Emilie, Colin, Margo and Olivia) and 2 great grandchildren (Graeme and Rhys). Survivors also include; 2 nieces (Caroline and Marianne), 5 nephews( William, Brian, Douglas, Christopher, and David) as well as the hundreds of children in the community whose lives were changed because of her caring and giving spirit.
There will be a Commemoration of Life event in the future to be announced shortly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving donations to:
The Midge Kelerchian Memorial Fund
ST. JUDE’S CHILDREN RESEARCH HOSPITAL
www.stjude.org