Frances Wilson Gilbert

She was born May 31, 1926 in Ohio. The family moved to Mississippi while she was a small child. Her father worked for the GM&O Railroad as a telegraph operator and his job required him to meet the "troop" trains at all hours of the day or night as they came through his town. So the train whistle always had significance in their household. She graduated college from East Central Community College then known as ECJC.

She kept in touch with some of her college friends and attended some class reunions. She married and had her family and settled in Montgomery where she lived for 44 years. She was a secretary for a local investment firm, Thornton, Farish and Gauntt and retired after 25 years of service. Some people check the sports page and others check the sale papers, she checked the stock market. Always followed the economy and worried about the stock market, and business decisions that would affect their stockholders.

She and husband George built a home in Boyleston and joined Chisholm Baptist Church in 1957. She was active in the church and participated in adult choir, ladies missions group, taught a Sunday School class, and saw that her children were involved in Sunday School, Training Union, and VBS, just don't mention grape cool aid or lemon cream cookies...very popular in VBS). Auburn was always her team, she loved her tigers! Even when they didn't win. On game day, you would always find her in her Auburn shirt, confirming game time and what channel so she wouldn't miss a minute of the game. After the children were grown and gone, George had health problems and passed away. Years later she met and married Don Gilbert who had joined Chisholm. They enjoyed church activities, day trips, and other senior adult events. They decided to move closer to her daughters in Jonesboro, GA. They bought a home and joined First Baptist Jonesboro. They enjoyed many senior day trips, senior activities and were a big part of family gatherings. She sang in Senior Adult Choir and joined a ladies sewing group they made teddy bears and quilts for the community. She and Don attended the "Blue" reunions, he had served during Korea on the USS Blue. They traveled to every corner of the US for those reunions and loved it. They attended the Denson reunions annually and always enjoyed being with the family.

She loved to travel and kept items from each trip in binders to enjoy the memories. She went to Mexico on a bus tour and Europe on 13 country tour. She even walked the Great Wall of China. She and Don went to England and toured all over since he was stationed in the UK at one time and knew how to drive there. Of course, they visited Warwick Castle! They went to Hawaii several times and on an Alaska cruise which was a dream of hers for years. Don had health issues and passed away. She had always been interested in family roots and history, and joined the local chapter of Augustine Clayton DAR. In researching our family roots, there were 14 members who fought in the American Revolution. She was so proud of her heritage and the contributions her family had made through the generations on both the Warwick and Denson sides of the family. She remained a member of Augustine Clayton DAR until her health declined. She lived in assisted living the last 4 years and met many fine people, and participated in holiday parties, and sing along, and loved dressing up in costume to celebrate the event properly.

She lived life purposefully, always looking forward to some event in the future.