(11 June 1925 - 11 January 2020)
Odette Louise Tirman (née Depeyré-Provost), who was born in Puteaux, France on June 11, 1925, passed away peacefully in Little Rock, Arkansas on January 11, 2020.
Odette’s early life was marked dramatically by events of World War II. Her family fled Paris when the Nazi army invaded France in 1940 but eventually returned to the occupied city. As a teenager during the war, Odette’s schooling was interrupted when she and many other French women with seamstress skills were forced to work for the occupying German army sewing uniforms & parachutes. Shortly after the end of the war, Odette met the love of her life Robert Tirman, an American Army doctor. Following a brief romance, Odette and Robert married where she settled into the life of a military spouse with stations in Texas, Germany, England, California, Italy, France, and Arkansas. Odette quickly learned English and embraced the American way of life yet never lost her love for France nor did she ever lose her pronounced French accent.
After all her children were grown and following her husband’s death in 1988, Odette became a sales associate at Dillard’s Department store in Little Rock where she worked for nearly 18 years until retiring at age 80 in 2005. Odette volunteered with passion for an array of charitable causes and was an engaged member of every community in which she lived.
Odette was a strong-willed woman with a wonderful sense of humor and who cared deeply about the well-being of her family and friends. She loved to travel, was skilled at French cuisine, and had notable artistic talent in the sewing arts.
Odette leaves behind a legacy of six loving children along with son & daughter in laws including Claude Tirman & daughter-in-law Arlette of Manhattan Beach, California, Michele Tirman-Olsen & son-in-law Barry of Melbourne, Australia, Christine Tirman of Little Rock, Arkansas, David Tirman & daughter-in-law Lorna of Truckee, California, Phillip Tirman & daughter-in-law Vanessa of Malibu, California, and Jeffrey Tirman & daughter-in-law Stacy of St. Légier, Switzerland. Odette also had eleven grandchildren including Philippe, Jason, Tara, Kaleb, Collin, Skye, Laura, Kristina, Miles, Ellis, and Mirabel as well as eight great grandchildren. Odette is also survived by her sister Simone Provost of Paris, France.
Odette will be laid to rest at the Little Rock National Cemetery 11:00 a.m.Monday, January 27th alongside her spouse. May she rest in peace/Qu’elle repose en paix. Online guestbook: www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com
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