Gilberte Douglas Obituary

Gilberte "Mimi" Douglas, a vibrant, loving, one-of-a-kind wife, mother and grandmother, died on October 10. Gilberte was born in 1936, in Vassincourt, Meuse, in France. One of five children, she lived in France until 1956, when a young soldier in the Army caught her eye. Richard was serving in France during the Korean War. Little did Richard know, he was about to return from his tour of duty with more than war stories or a souvenir Eiffel Tower keychain. He would meet and marry the love of his life- Gilberte - also known as her village's "Miss Hollywood." They began their life together in America where Gilberte was thrilled to live; she was a proud American. She very much wanted to be a U.S. Citizen. It meant so much to her that she wanted to earn it: she took the citizenship test rather than simply having those rights bestowed upon her by marriage. Despite becoming Americanized and being in this country for 57 years, she never lost her strong French accent - much to the chagrin of physician's offices and telemarketers alike. Gilberte and Richard had two children, Marc and Christine. They loved both their children so much that they followed them out to college in Tempe, Arizona, leaving behind Chicago and Richard's lucrative job, so they could be united as a family and a part of their children's everyday lives. In 1988, Gilberte's first grandchild, Brittany, was born. It was around this time that Gilberte officially transitioned into "Mimi." Her grandchildren were the center of her Universe – a place we often referred to as "Mimi Land." It was a land of chocolates, late night TV, snuggles with her granddaughters, breakfast in bed, and unconditional love. Mimi later became a grandmother to three other girls: Brynn, Taylor and Tessa. Mimi's life revolved around her granddaughters. She had an impressive collection of antique Barbies – and thousands of Beanie Babies; she played with all of them with her granddaughters, endlessly. She was a lover of the arts, including watching some of the finer shows of our generation with her grandchildren; such as Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, Spongebob Squarepants, and Hannah Montana. She also "enjoyed" fine food, like pizza, often served in settings with ski-ball, videogames and bounce houses. Exclusive "granddaughter only" sleep-overs were her favorites and she hosted countless. Often, she would read books with her grandchildren. Sometimes, she even read the actual words as written by the author! More times than not, however, she made up her own story from the pictures. Her version was always far more interesting to anyone who could hear it. She was an expert young girl hair-braider and pig tail maker. She laundered countless school outfits and uniforms, and made many lunches. Lastly, she was a diplomat of the highest order, often serving as a cultural liaison between her granddaughters and their parents. Mimi was faith-filled, vivacious and loved spending time with her family. Yet, when she started a sentence with "I might as well tell you the truth…" – you could assume that what followed would be something that might be a little harsh on the ears. However, she was a lady through-and-through. Yes, although there were many times she could be found in her home in her pajamas and slippers near noon, she always looked pulled together when she went out and about. Mimi told fabulous stories about her life; they never got old. Upon each retelling, she added something new, and often changed one or several details. Sometimes, these story-telling sessions would go on for hours with her French sisters on those rare times when they could all get together. On more than one occasion, they turned into fits of uncontrollable laughter, accompanied by episodes of pants-wetting. In addition, her grasp of current news stories and pop culture was legendary. Details and exact names - and especially correct pronunciations - weren't important. She was also a mean Gin Rummy player; at first letting her granddaughters win, then having no choice but to yield to their growing skills and savvy. She attended many dance, music and voice recitals, as well as numerous soccer, softball, volleyball and basketball games – and countless summer swim meets (when they were not too early in the morning)…and she was the best cheerleader to everyone. Lastly, she adored Christmas, Easter, and any day that could be seen as a reason to spoil her granddaughters. On birthdays, she always bought an extra present for the granddaughter who wasn't celebrating her birthday. Her fun spirit always showed up on Halloween, for which she always dressed-up. Her outfits often included padding, usually a wig, and almost always a fake beard or moustache. She was a true original. She was loved and admired by so, so many people. Mimi leaves behind her loving husband Richard, their children Marc and Christine, and her adored grandchildren, Brittany, Brynn, Taylor and Tessa. She leaves behind three siblings: Andre, Marie Claude, and Jean-Pierre. She also leaves behind the countless people whose lives she touched. That list is far too long to complete. Memorial Mass, 4:00 PM, Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 16323 S. 48th Street, Phoenix. Repose en paix, Mimi. Nous t'aimerons pour toujours de tous nos cœurs.