Obviously not a member of our class but many of our classmates would have had contact with Mrs. Gimbert through the years so thought this would be of interest to some.

The Town Talk, Alexandria-Pineville, LA, Tuesday, April 20, 2010, page A5

Services for Opal Barrett Gimbert, 95, of Natchitoches will be held at 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Officiating will be Fr. Jason Gootee. Mrs. Gimbert donated her body to LSU Medical School in Shreveport.

Mrs. Gimbert passed away Saturday, April 17 at her residence. She was a native of Ruston, but had resided in Natchitoches since 1945. She did private duty and public health nursing throughout Natchitoches Parish. In 1956, she was hired by Northwestern to be the head nurse at the Infirmary. She retired 30 years later, but nursing remained dear to her heart as evidenced by her signing RN behind her name on home health and hospice documents. Additionally, she was an avid gardener and golfer.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Gimbert; her daughters, Tyke Gimbert and Lizzie Carroll; her granddaughter, Shelly McCain, and great-granddaughter, Kayden Chadwick.

She is survived by her daughter, Melanie McCain, and husband, Steve of Natchitoches; two sisters, Eula Coil and Sarah Ahmann of Independence, Missouri; four grandchildren, Steve McCain, Jr, Susan Godfrey and husband, John, all of Natchitoches; Jeff Allday, of Shreveport, and Ashley Carroll Chadwick of Maud, Texas; and nine great-grandchildren, Gabriel McCain, Madeline Godfrey, Caroline Godfrey, Jackson Godfrey, all of Natchitoches, Nicholas Allday of Shreveport, Taylor Smith, Austin Smith, Justin Smith, and Brylee Chadwick, all of Maud, Texas; and Jean Gay, Mrs. Gimbert's caretaker and very special friend (referred to as "her other daughter!").

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to the St. Jude's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn, Natchitoches Humane Society, or charity of the donor's choice.

Special thanks to Dr. John Hogg, his nurse and staff, and Hospice of Natchitoches.