Nerva Jean-Pierre

We remember Nerva Jean-Pierre, whose spirit unexpectedly departed from us on July 15, 2024. Nerva was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on January 6, 1964, to Marie Etienise Jean-Pierre and Pierre Louis Jean-Pierre.

Nerva and his parents emigrated to New York when he was 6 years old. While living in Brooklyn, NY, he attended P.S. 181 Elementary School and Walt Whitman Junior High School. After graduating from Alexander Hamilton High School, he attended SUNY at Old Westbury, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. However, his true calling was not in business but in helping shape the minds and lives of young men and women in the New York City public education system. Nerva’s passion for his students led him to pursue and obtain a Master’s degree in Education from Touro University in New York.

Nerva’s energy and undaunted spirit was a perfect match for the challenging 1990s New York City school system. His unwavering enthusiasm and sense of community led to successful teaching careers at Samuel J. Tilden, Norman Thomas, and Murry Bergtraum High Schools. As a New York City teacher, Dean, Assistant Principal, Coach, Mentor, and Athletic Director, Nerva taught his students discipline, resilience, and a persistent desire to reach higher goals.

He was successful in the classroom, the halls of high school buildings, and on athletic fields. In 2009 and 2013, Nerva led the Norman Thomas High School baseball team, a school without a baseball field, to Citywide Championship games. Notably, he was the second Black coach to take a New York City Public School team to a PSAL Championship. The first was Nerva’s coach and mentor, the legendary Coach Wayne Slater. Nerva’s coaching excellence extended beyond baseball. Coach “JP,” as he was affectionately known, also took the Murry Bergtraum Women’s Basketball team to the PSAL finals and helped build what is now known as a premier basketball team in the New York City community.

Nerva recently retired from the New York City Public School system after over 30 years of service. Retirement did not extinguish Nerva's fire for life and service. In the last few years, he continued to work at Murry Bergtraum as Athletic Director and he dedicated himself to a healthier lifestyle. Nerva could often be seen on social media working out at the gym, taking walks, and displaying his weight loss transformation. He actively mentored young adults, offering more time to family, friends, and his beloved Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He often said, “Friendship is Essential to the Soul,” and Nerva, AKA French Dawg, majestically lived by this rule.

He was the President of the Brooklyn Investment Group (B.I.G.), the glue that sealed the bonds with his childhood and college brothers. B.I.G. inspired the birth of Investments Through Sisterhood (I.T.S.), a spin-off group of his extended family. Nerva also dedicated significant time and hard work to his beloved restaurant, BK9, which he opened in 2015 with his childhood and college friends in Brooklyn, NY. For Nerva, BK9 was not just a restaurant but a space where all his unselfish talents, spirit, and love of family, brotherhood, and friendship came to celebrate life.

In the mid-1990s, Nerva met Lude and fell in love. In 1996, they married and together raised three handsome, successful young men who share their father's fire. Nerva and Lude raised their children to pursue academic achievements. They also instilled in them their love and trust in God. Nerva spent his entire life in fellowship with Gospel Crusade Church in Brooklyn, NY, and Eglise Evangelique Haitienne of CMA of Newburgh, NY, both of which his family helped establish. Nerva was a very spiritual person who strongly believed and preached that “God is Good…Always!”

Nerva is survived by his wife, Lude Belony Jean-Pierre; his sons, Wesley Nerva Jean-Pierre, Derick Jean-Pierre, and Dalton Jean-Pierre; his brother, Constantine Jean-Pierre; his sisters, Joceline Jean-Pierre, Valentina Bosah, Louisa King-Aromire, and Christela Leandre; and thousands of others including cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, students, colleagues, godchildren, friends, his beloved brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Brooklyn Investment Group, and beloved sisters of Investments Through Sisterhood.

Nerva, the ever-shining star of unwavering friendship and kindness, has left an indelible mark on the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know him. We invite you all to help us celebrate his life.

For any flowers sent in Nerva’s memory, we ask they be sent directly to Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn on Thursday evening or early Friday morning. 

VIRTUAL SERVICE

To view Nerva’s memorial service(7/25/2024) virtually, please visit this link Virtual Service

If you would like to make a donation in Nerva Jean-Pierre’s honor please do so to the Scholarship Fund.