Islande P Tunis

A Life of Faith, Service, and Unwavering Joy: Celebrating the Life of Islande Tunis

Dear  family and friends, 

Good morning! Thank you for supporting our family in our time of need.  It is greatly appreciated with immense kindness. Thank you for traveling near or far  to honor our beloved mother, wife, and faithful servant of the Lord. It’s with a humble heart,  full of gratitude, and everlasting  love, I’m taking this opportunity to share how my mother led a loving, caring, and passionate life of unwavering joy; while remembering her faithful service to the Lord until the very end.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states “ There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens” and Psalm 34:18 is a gentle reminder of “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit”. Therefore, gathering with us  this morning  is uplifting and a testament of the strength that exists  in the power of  community. As we set our eyes on her sunset and ponder on the multitudes of unanswered questions, we can be certain of the great life she lived from infancy/childhood and throughout the terrestrial journey.

Islande Tunis came into this world on June 20, 1963, God must have smiled because it was sunny that morning. Born to Selius Pierre and Elmona Louijeune in the humble town of Gros-Morne, Haiti, her journey of faith and devotion began early.  As a little girl with beaming hope and bright future, she set her eyes to the City of Port-au-Prince to begin an extraordinary journey. Moving to Port-au-Prince led her to a journey of faith and devotion as she navigated the vibrant city. It was there she experienced the promise of Jeremiah 1:5 “ before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I sanctified you….” Thus her life took a transformative turn and was adopted by Jackson and Betty Snyder, beloved missionaries and co-founders of Finlays Mission Impossible. Under their guidance, Islande embraced a life dedicated to serving others  alongside her adoptive mother in ministry carrying for those in need.

Her journey brought her to the United States in her late teens, where she settled with her adoptive family in Vero Beach, Florida. Islande’s faith deepened, and her heart for God continued to flourish and become  a cherished and dedicated member of her local Seventh-day Adventist church all the way in Ft. Pierce. She faithfully attends prayer meetings, Sabbath school, and church activities to deepen her knowledge of God and remain grounded in the word.

Little did she know she was about to find love while finding comfort in serving in ministry. I can only imagine whether she blushed, praised, or leaped, or did all three altogether. However, all I can say is Paul Tunis “te jenjan” for Islande to find time in her busy schedule to acknowledge how he must have felt about her. Their love story unfolded with the blessings of the congregation, and together they embarked on a new chapter in Orlando, Florida. Their love and commitment to each other grew, and Islande became a devoted wife and a loving mother to her two children, Joshua and Sherlande Tunis. Her life was a living testimony of  her deep commitment to faith, family, and community.

For over 20 years, she worked tirelessly in the hospitality industry, bringing warmth, compassion, and kindness to everyone she encountered. Yet, her true passion was her service to the church, and she lived it fully! She sang joyfully in the choir, served humbly as a deaconess, and nurtured young hearts in children’s ministry. She admired God’s creations as she loved nature, animals, and gardening. Her blessed hands truly nurtured everything she touched, from our lives to the plants in her garden. She was a woman of true admiration and dedication. Her spirit of service was evident to all who knew her; she was a beacon of hope, always greeting others with a radiant smile and speaking boldly of the soon return of Jesus Christ.

A woman of immense strength, Islande faced the greatest challenge of her life when she was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer that was beginning to spread in 2023. Despite the pain, she faced her battle with grace, courage, and unwavering faith. After months of relentless treatments and countless prayers, Islande was finally granted rest from her labors by our Lord and Savior on November 6, 2024. She now rests in peace, awaiting the glorious resurrection when Christ returns.

Islande’s legacy continues through her devoted husband, Paul Tunis; her cherished children, Joshua and Sherlande Tunis; her stepdaughter, Maude Delorme; her older sister Rosie Pierre and her 8 children: Josue, Darling, Marie Jose, Jonas, Sadrack, Isaac, Israel, Jude Sylvestre and the countless lives she touched with her love, faith, and unwavering spirit.
 

As we say our final Goodbye, let's uplift and encourage one another because we know for certain her suffering has ended, and we will one day see her again when Christ returns. Most importantly let’s not remember how she died, but the life she lived, and be encouraged by her endearing commitment to us all. It is graceful and humbling to have witnessed 2 Timothy 4 be fulfilled in her life and rest assured That  she has fought the good fight,  she has finished the race, she  has kept the faith. May we keep her legacy alive in our heart and hold onto the memories we shared because we have assurance in the Lord that it is just an earthly Goodbye!

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Islande P Tunis, please visit our floral store.