Jean Daniel Alce

Jean Daniel Alce was born aux Cayes Haiti, on February 6, 1956 from the union of Hector Alce with his wife Nathalie Genois Alce. He was the youngest son of a family of 9 of whom 3 survived.He completed his elementary education at ecole nationale Dumarsais Estime aux Cayes, then he started high school at Lyce philippe Guerrier aux Cayes. A few years later his mother moved to Port-au-Prince where he attended the Seminaire Adventiste Franco Haitien(SAFH). There he completed his high school education. Since he was fascinated with all electronics, he went to Lecomte School of Engineering where he completed his license in electrical engineering. His exit project was a construction of a small radio of which he was very proud. Daniel was a musician. He played the organ, the accordion and other chord instruments. He was an interior designer and a well-known Master of Ceremonies. 

In 1988 he rejoined his older brothers and his cousin Francoise (Mafoune) in Canada. He lived there for a while and moved to New York where he met Ruth Matthieu, the one that became the love of his life. They married on April 23, 1997 and since then they were in love until death took them apart. Daniel did not have enough affectious names for his wife, he called her Poupette, choupette, Kekete, soeur Pou. He loved her so dearly that everyone in her family was his own. Ruth responded to this love by patiently supporting him during his long well supported disease and hospital stay. She was regularly at his bedside every day, questioning doctors, making decisions for him, urging them to do everything to save his life. But on that fatal morning of July 5, 2026, he succumbed to an unexpected cardiac arrest that devastated everyone since he had shown some prior improvements during his hospital stay.

Daniel was an ordained elder at Morija SDA Church in Haiti. He often played the role of evangelist; it was never too late to ask him to preach, in no time he would drop everything to have a sermon ready.Throughout his life Daniel was known for his joviality; at church he considered every one as family; the kids were either godchildren or nephews and the adults were either cousins ”commeres or compere”. He had a big hug or a fraternal handshake for everyone. He had respect for everybody’s emotions. He was willing to help everyone; he believed in helping God by helping others to such an extent that many took his kindness for granted. 

Daniel is survived by his wife Ruth Matthieu Alce, his sister Jacqueline Philipp (born Alce) and family, his brother Joseph Bethleem Alce and family, his brother William Alce and family, his cousin Marie Francoise Maurice Silne (Mafoune) and family with whom he grew up and considered as his little sister; his two children Danitz and Richard Alce; his in-Laws Yolande Matthieu Charles and family, Benjamin Matthieu and family, Hulda Matthieu Gillot and family, Esther Matthieu Delice and family, Isaac Matthieu and family, Elie Matthieu, Lea Matthieu Calixte and family, Joseph Matthieu, Emmanuela Sylvain and the Obas, Germain, Philippe, Belizaire and Maurice, Buisson, Charlot families. Daniel will be greatly missed by a large number of cousins, nieces and nephews. Sympathy to a host of friends and family. Daniel is no longer with us, but his memory will live forever in our hearts. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his legacy continue to inspire us to live a christian life, awaiting resurrection morning.

Relatives and friends are invited to his funeral on Friday, July 17, 2026 at SDA Church, 8441 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19152 between 10-11 AM, followed by a Religious Service from 11-12 Noon. Interment will follow at Northwood Cemetery, 1501 Haines Street, Philadelphia, PA 19126 at 12:45 PM.