Marcelle M Madeleine Charlebois-Chrysosferidis, age 104 ½, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026. She was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on July 22, 1921. She was the daughter of the late Mrs. Clotilde Dube-Charlebois and the late Mr. Wilbrod Charlebois.  She lived a unique and extraordinary life.

She was educated in several convents in Montreal, Canada. She became fluent in French and English and graduated with honors from Montreal Congregation Notre Dame in the secretarial program. In 1940 being a bilingual stenographer, she was hired to work as a secretary for the legal office department of  the War Time Services and Trade Board for the Canadian Government. In 1946 she accepted a job as a secretary, stenographer and translator in Washington, DC with the French Missions of the Department of Security Council Affairs. Within that same year, when the United Nations came into being, she received her first big assignment when she was appointed the personal secretary to the first UN Secretary-General, Trygve Lie. In January of 1947, she joined the delegation to accompany members of the Balkans Commission to investigate the "guerilla war" like conflicts in Greece and Albania.

As the secretary and translator, she carried her portable typewriter and went to the front lines with the commission's observation group. She narrated countless stories of her travels with the various missions that the UN was engaged in between the years of 1947 to 1952. She was very fond of Mr. and Mrs. Lie and the members of the delegation. She spoke often of the 12-16 hours of travel and the rough terrain and conditions of the countries.   The group traveled to France, Switzerland, Albania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria with a goal to prevent hostilities between the countries. Often they had to travel on mules to cross the rough terrains and on camel in the middle east.

After the mission was completed they returned to New York to complete the reports and findings from their missions. She always said Greece was her favorite country due to its ancient ruins, "magnificent heritage" and the friendly Greek people.  She made several trips to Greece from New York. She met her husband, Leonidas Chrysosferidis in 1950 on one of her mission trips. They were wed in 1957 and had 2 children, Vassilis and Phillip.   She spent the next 24 years residing in Greece. She enjoyed entertaining, sewing, and traveling. Her favorite hobby was reading. She had a curious mind and read historical events, archaeological findings, autobiographies, to name a few of her subject of interests.

In 1981 she returned to Montreal, Canada and worked for a law firm, Bessner and Associates, as a stenographer. She spent most of her time with her son, Phillip, and with her sister, Yvette Boulaine, her niece Collette Boulaine, her sister-in-law Yvette Charlebois, and her nephews, Claude, Maurice, and their families.

From 1994 to 2021, she visited Emanuel County and spent three to six months a year with her son, Phillip and his family. In January of 2023 due to her inability to be self-sufficient, she resided with Phillip and Pina and became a US Permanent Resident.

Ms. Charlebois is preceded in death by both her parents, her brothers Maurice Charlebois Sr., Paul Charlebois, Armand Charlebois, her sister Yvette Bouliane, her niece Collette Bouliane and many family members and very close friends.

Ms. Charlebois-Chrysosferidis is survived by her sons, Phillip (C. Pina) Chrysosferidis of Emanuel County, Vassilis (Maria) Chrysosferidis of Greece; her grandchildren Alexandra, Michael (Coryleigh), Steven (Julie), Peter (Kaitlyn), and her grandchildren in Greece, Markella and Alkistis; four great grandchildren Arianna, Lucas, Arwen, and Maximus; nephews Claude Charlebois (Suzanne) of Quebec, Canada, and Maurice Charlebois of Quebec, Canada; her niece Lenia Contopoulos of Greece, and many great grand-nephews, nieces, and friends.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to EMT personnel for their prompt response. In addition, we are grateful to the doctors and nurses of Emanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro and to the doctors, nurses, and staff at Community Hospice for their care towards our mother.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Emanuel Medical Center Foundation, Attention Lynn Brinson, 117 Kite Road, Swainsboro, GA 30401 or to Community Hospice at 904 Mt. Vernon Road, PO Box 2277, Vidalia, GA 30474

A celebration of her life is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2026 beginning at 2:00 p.m. followed by a service at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel of Tomlinson Funeral Home.

Tomlinson Funeral Homes in in charge of the arrangements