Lionel Desdunes was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 11, 1946. He was the youngest child of Pierre Desdunes and Exarnadle Bernard. He completed his elementary education at Les Frères du Sacré-Cœur and obtained his high school diploma (Philo) from Lycée Touissant-Louverture.

Lionel migrated to the United States in 1976. He attended Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York, where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. He later moved to New Jersey, where he worked as an Accountant at New Community Corporation in Newark. He later worked at the Irvington Board of Education and the East Orange Board of Education, where he retired in 2013.  

He loved his native country, Haiti. He returned in 2014 and lived in Jacmel for the past 11 years. While in Haiti, he owned a small restaurant, Ti Lion, and helped his niece, Nirva, with her establishment at The Bethsaide Foundation. Lionel proudly took on the cherished role of Papa Noel, every Christmas, which he fulfilled with joy, love and kindness. He also brilliantly managed the bakery at the Bethsaide Foundation, serving breads, pastries and pizza.

Lionel was a God fearing man who loved to dance and make everyone laugh. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his four children - Rose Desdunes, Pierre Desdunes, Tanya Desdunes, and Alex Desdunes - and his two granddaughters, Nailah Granger and Sage Desdunes. He also leaves behind his beloved sister, Mirzile Fluellen and brother, Daniel Desdunes, many nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends, as well as the students, teachers and farmers of The Bethsaide Foundation in Jacmel, Haiti. He will be sorely missed.

here is the link of the live stream for the funeral mass for Lionel Desdunes on Saturday May 17th, at 11:30am.