Marie Bernadette Gladys Gourgue-Joseph, 81, passed away peacefully on February 14, 2021 at home surrounded by her loving family.

Marie preferred to be called Gladys but known as La Madre. She was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on March 23, 1939 daughter of the late Joseph Gourgue and Carmen Dietz. Educated in Haiti where she established her family when she married her late husband, Gerard Joseph. She emigrated to the United States with her family in 1980 where they settled in New York. In 1993 she moved to Worcester and for many years, Marie was employed in the healthcare field where she dedicated her entire tenure caring for the elderly and the sick until she retired. Marie was born and raised Catholic and will be welcomed at Our Lady of the Angels Church for her final blessings.

Gladys enjoyed sewing, cooking, playing the piano, singing, listening to music and loved to dance. She was a talker at heart. She enjoyed spending time with and caring for her grandchildren. She was a giver and one that would help anyone in need. Before all, she was a great mother, one that dedicated her entire life to her children. She is a joker with the greatest intent of making anyone smile or laugh.

Gladys is survived by her elder sister Marie Therese Gourgue of New York and her 8 children: Carole Gourgue of Norwood, MA., Gabrielle Derice of Florida, Betty Joseph of NY, Gladys Joseph of NY, Marjorie Joseph of Worcester, MA., Rudy Joseph of Worcester, MA, Barbara Joseph of NY and Natacha Joseph of Florida, her extended daughter Leolena ” Nella” Harrigan of GA, three step daughters, Marlene Joseph of Haiti, Edeline Joseph of France, Nadia Joseph of Canada, Laura Joseph of Haiti, two step sons, Carlo Joseph of Chicago, Marc Junior Joseph of Brazil, five nieces and six nephews, thirty-three, (33) grandchildren and thirty-nine (39) great-grandchildren.

Gladys will be joining her late husband Gerard Joseph, her late father and mother Joseph Gourgue and Carmen Dietz, her late three brothers Gerard Gourgue, Pierre Gourgue, Roger Gourgue her late nephew Louis “Fefe” Marcelain, late step daughters Carole Joseph and Marie Rose Joseph, and step son Jimmy Plaisimond Joseph.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate Marie’s life on Friday, February 26th with a visitation from 6:00pm until 8:00pm at the Callahan, Fay & Caswell Life Celebration Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester. A funeral Mass will be held on at 10:30am on Saturday, February 27th 10:30am at Our Lady of the Angels Church 1222 Main St., Worcester, Massachusetts – (PLEASE GO DIRECTLY TO CHURCH). Entombment will follow at Worcester County Memorial Park. Repast will be held at the church following burial