Gisele Ward

Gisele Davigou Ward, 91, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama and recently a resident of Dothan, Alabama, passed away Thursday, December 6, 2012 at Westside Terrace.

Mimmi, as she was lovingly known by family and friends, was born in Oran, North Africa, September 14, 1921. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Monroe Ward, whom she met when his battalion marched into Oran during WWII. The only child of her parents, Andre and Delores Davigou, she moved to the United States in 1945. She later became an Estée Lauder representative at Gayfer’s Department Store in Montgomery, Alabama, where she worked for 39 years. She was a member of Frazier United Methodist church in Montgomery.

Surviving relatives include, her daughter and son-in-law, John and Margaret Downs, Dothan, Alabama; her son and daughter-in-law, Jimmy and Cindy Ward, Shelby, Alabama; grandchildren, Jed Downs Abby, Michelle Colbert Kelly, Melody Uptain Charles, Hope Shirah Brandon, and Haley Ward; 18 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mary Ellen Ward, Jackie Kivett, and Betty Thompson; several nieces and nephews; and her beloved Shih tzu, Suki also survives.

Her husband, James “Jimmy” Monroe Ward, her parents, Andre and Delores Davigou, and a granddaughter, Andre Denise Downs, preceded her in death.

The family will accept visitors from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Friday, December 7, 2012 at Sunset Memorial Park Funeral Home, 1700 Barrington Road, Dothan, Alabama. A graveside service will be held 2:30 pm Sunday, December 9, 2012 at Greenwood Cemetery, 909 Lincoln Road, Montgomery, Alabama, 36109, with Rev. Charles Uptain officiating and Robert Byrd directing. In lieu of flowers, we request contributions be made to Covenant Hospice of Dothan, Alabama, 104 Rock Bridge Road, Dothan, AL, 36303, the Wiregrass Humane Society, Post Office Box 1045, Dothan, AL, 36302, or to the charity of your choice.

The family would like to thank the staff at Whitehall Assisted Living, Firstlight Home Care of Dothan, Westside Terrace, and the nurses of Covenant Hospice for their care and love for Mimmi. Also, a very special thanks to care givers, Pasay Davidson, Linda Fleming, and Kimberly Kimble for their care and devotion during the days before her death.