Widna Joachim Speir
October 26, 1957 – June 22, 2022
Widna Joachim Speir of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland passed peacefully from this life, in the presence of her daughter and husband, at the Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC on the afternoon of June 22, 2022. Her cause of death was a massive stroke which occurred on June 15, 2022 at her home, after which she was rushed by ambulance to the Calvert Health Medical Center in Prince Frederick, MD, where she was placed on life support. She was then transported by life flight to the Stroke Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown University Hospital. At Georgetown University Hospital her condition was diagnosed by the neurosurgeons as inoperable and unrecoverable. The opportunity was provided for family and friends to visit, to pray and to say farewell for several days. Then, as directed by her Health Care Power of Attorney, she was removed from life support and passed peacefully and naturally in several hours. She is survived by her daughter Cadwina Faith Joachim Speir of Cleveland, OH, her husband Frederick Leslie Speir of Chesapeake Beach, MD and numerous family and friends.
Widna was born on October 26, 1957 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the first of 15 children born to Solange Destin and Salomon Joachim. She grew up on her family’s farm in Haiti and became the matriarch of the family as her mother died when Widna was 17. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Commerce in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In Haiti she worked for the Haitian Department of Agriculture where, working in the field, she developed a love for Land Rovers. She had a glorious soprano voice and sang in numerous choirs throughout her life. She was an unfailingly faithful Christian and was active in churches wherever she lived. She was an activist for Haitian democracy and survived several attempts on her life. She migrated to and was granted political asylum in the United States in the 1990’s, becoming a United States citizen on December 16, 2010. In the United States she worked in the health care and banking professions while residing in Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts. At 45 she gave birth to her daughter Cadwina in Brockton, MA on May 28, 2002. On November 11, 2017 she married Frederick Leslie Speir, whom she had met in Virginia in the 1990’s while caring for his elderly parents, at Billerica, MA. Since then, the new family has resided in Elkins, WV, Franklin, TN and Chesapeake Beach, MD.
Visitation
Calvert Grace Community Church
9870 Old Solomons Island Road
Owings, MD 20736
Services
- Funeral Service
Saturday, July 9, 2022
12 Noon
Calvert Grace Community Church
9870 Old Solomons Island Road
Owings, MD 20736
Contributions
Condolences
Sort Comments
I send my heartfelt condolences to the family as they mourn the passing of Widna Joachim-Speir. Widna was one of God’s Angels-on-Earth and I will be forever thankful that she became part of my family’s life when she came into our home to provide loving care for my elderly mother who suffered from dementia in the last chapter of her life. Widna’s faith in God was constant and strong, and she helped support my mother’s faith as she made the final journey to be with the Lord. I am confident that Widna is now with the Lord, and that her beautiful voice has joined the Heavenly Choir. May God be with the family as they travel through this period of bereavement, and I pray that He bring them comfort and peace.
I had the great honor of meeting Widna through my husband’s business. To know Widna was to know love. She was a a very unique and special individual. Widna took joy in showing her constant hospitality to everyone she came into contact with. if you ever had the opportunity to visit with her in her home, then you would have experienced exactly what it felt like to be treated like Royalty. She knew and loved the Lord Almighty with her heart and soul, and she truly worshipped him in spirit and in truth. She took every opportunity to tell about the goodness of the Lord. Her sisters, daughter and family back home in Haiti were her pride and joy. She was a very comical person and found humor in the very littlest things in life. Widna will be greatly missed and remembered. To Les, her beautiful daughter and her entire family, May the love and peace of God embrace you all during this difficult time. I pray that you will lean on Jesus during this time and let him carry you through this season of your life. Remember, To be absent in the body, is to be present with the Lord. With God’s love, Sister Josanne & Thomas❤🙏🙏
Tatie you were the first person to welcome me with open arms when your nephew presented me to you as his girlfriend at the time. I remember us laying on the bed while you gave me all the advise on how to love and keep him. That conversation felt like I’ve known you forever. You held me and prayed with me after that conversation. I remember when we called you to tell you we were engaged you screamed and said “you got him Jess” I said tatie shouldn’t you say he got me since he’s your nephew? She said no sweetie you are my niece and I love you both equally. That’s the tatie I grew to love and appreciate. I will always remember you blessing our wedding day with your beautiful soprano voice. Thank you tatie! I know you are with your maker, at peace, pain-free, and rejoicing. See you soon tatie. Jeniyah and I will always have you in our hearts.
We didn’t know Widna for that long as she was new to our neighborhood but I knew right away she was a special lady. She would always walk through the neighborhood singing and smiling. She made a wonderful drink for the holidays and shared it with the neighbors. We will miss her presence for sure. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with her entire family during this difficult time.
I am so sorry for the family, I have never known her but heard much about her. She must of been a great person, her little girl will carry on the grace of her mom from what I have seen. Hoping for best memories and praying for the family.
Marilyn Goodrich
Sort Comments
My love and prayers are with you, Les, and Cadwina. I am so very sorry for your (our) loss. (Aunt) Judy
I send my heartfelt condolences to the family as they mourn the passing of Widna Joachim-Speir. Widna was one of God’s Angels-on-Earth and I will be forever thankful that she became part of my family’s life when she came into our home to provide loving care for my elderly mother who suffered from dementia in the last chapter of her life. Widna’s faith in God was constant and strong, and she helped support my mother’s faith as she made the final journey to be with the Lord. I am confident that Widna is now with the Lord, and that her beautiful voice has joined the Heavenly Choir. May God be with the family as they travel through this period of bereavement, and I pray that He bring them comfort and peace.
I had the great honor of meeting Widna through my husband’s business. To know Widna was to know love. She was a a very unique and special individual. Widna took joy in showing her constant hospitality to everyone she came into contact with. if you ever had the opportunity to visit with her in her home, then you would have experienced exactly what it felt like to be treated like Royalty. She knew and loved the Lord Almighty with her heart and soul, and she truly worshipped him in spirit and in truth. She took every opportunity to tell about the goodness of the Lord. Her sisters, daughter and family back home in Haiti were her pride and joy. She was a very comical person and found humor in the very littlest things in life. Widna will be greatly missed and remembered. To Les, her beautiful daughter and her entire family, May the love and peace of God embrace you all during this difficult time. I pray that you will lean on Jesus during this time and let him carry you through this season of your life. Remember, To be absent in the body, is to be present with the Lord. With God’s love, Sister Josanne & Thomas❤🙏🙏
Tatie you were the first person to welcome me with open arms when your nephew presented me to you as his girlfriend at the time. I remember us laying on the bed while you gave me all the advise on how to love and keep him. That conversation felt like I’ve known you forever. You held me and prayed with me after that conversation. I remember when we called you to tell you we were engaged you screamed and said “you got him Jess” I said tatie shouldn’t you say he got me since he’s your nephew? She said no sweetie you are my niece and I love you both equally. That’s the tatie I grew to love and appreciate. I will always remember you blessing our wedding day with your beautiful soprano voice. Thank you tatie! I know you are with your maker, at peace, pain-free, and rejoicing. See you soon tatie. Jeniyah and I will always have you in our hearts.
We didn’t know Widna for that long as she was new to our neighborhood but I knew right away she was a special lady. She would always walk through the neighborhood singing and smiling. She made a wonderful drink for the holidays and shared it with the neighbors. We will miss her presence for sure. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with her entire family during this difficult time.
I am so sorry for the family, I have never known her but heard much about her. She must of been a great person, her little girl will carry on the grace of her mom from what I have seen. Hoping for best memories and praying for the family.
Marilyn Goodrich