Gisele Person Menese

Gisele Etiennette Person Menese entered Heaven on December 30, 2024. Gisele, as she was known to all who loved her, was born on May 20, 1931 in the village of Montolivet, France to Rene and Josephine Marquis Person. She was the second of five children.

As a child of eight years old, Gisele saw the beginning of WWII starting with a forced march toward Western France and back to her village. During the war her village was occupied as her parents conducted activities with the French Resistance. Even though Gisele and her siblings observed some strange goings on in their house, they knew to keep quiet and never talk about what they saw. Their mother was cooking all the time, with food going out the front door to the Germans which was required, and then food going out the back door to the French Resistance and the villagers. At the age of fourteen the war ended and her village was liberated. She would often recall how the German soldiers were running out one end of the village as the American soldiers were entering from the other end.

When she was fourteen years old, she started working as a maid at Ferme Auberge in Montfaucon where she learned many life lessons that she would carry with her throughout her life. As a young woman, Gisele went to Paris. She worked multiple jobs; a young lady’s companion for a wealthy family, a retail clerk and in the canteen at Orly Field AFB. It was here where she met Anthony (Tony) William Menese, Jr. They married in 1954 in a beautiful formal wedding ceremony in the small village of Montdauphin.

Gisele became a military wife and traveled all over Europe. Her son, Jean Philippe was born in Paris, France. Her first trip to the United States had her living in Greenville, South Carolina where she made lifelong friends. Her next stop would be Wiesbaden, Germany where her daughter, Cynthia, was born. Her next trip to the United States would land her in Waco, Texas where she taught herself to drive and then began volunteering her time with special needs children and volunteering with the 4-H teaching young girls to cook. Her next move would be to Manchester, New Hampshire where she began selling Avon and was known as the “Avon Lady with the painted nails.” Each nail was painted a different color so her clients could see the true color of the polish.

She then spent the next five years, from 1967 to 1972, stationed in Naples, Italy with NATO forces. While in Italy Gisele was a Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts and had a great influence on many young girls, taking them to Rome to attend a service at the Vatican and a trip the Adelboden, Switzerland to see the original Girl Scout Chalet.

She also bought and ran Grasshopper Green, a day care for the children of American families working in Naples. She established the military school bus monitoring program in Naples to ensure that all children riding the school buses were safe and well behaved.

Upon returning to the United States she, once again, worked with special needs children while in Austin, Texas, where she established many procedures that are still in place to this day.

1973 would bring Gisele to Atlanta, Georgia where she became the Director of a Kindercare Learning Center. She then went on to work at the Westin Peachtree Plaza and a few years later would transfer to the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California as a manager of one of the large restaurants. Working there started her connections to a variety of interesting friends and colorful people who would be just one part of her amazing adventures in life from then on.

Gisele continued to travel the world at every opportunity given to her. She went back and forth to France, Italy, Greece, Spain and multiple African countries. One of the great adventures of Gisele’s was when she toured with the very famous Reggae musician and his band, Jimmy Cliff. She was hired on as the touring manager and interpreter in multiple French speaking African countries. Because of this tour Gisele gained an appreciation and love of Africa and the African people.

In the 1990’s Gisele went into an entirely different occupation. She became an art curator after having worked with a very successful Italian art gallery owner and curator in the late 80’s. She then represented many artists throughout the world. This afforded her more opportunities to travel while representing these global artists. She had shows in Atlanta and other parts of Georgia, Chicago, New York and Paris. In her eighties, she went to China five times representing the French functional/pop artist Louis Durot. Anyone who knows Gisele, knows how important Durot’s work, influence and friendship was to her. During these times she also represented a singer with whom she traveled many places. Errol Desmond was a longtime client and friend.

In 1997 she found the house that she fell in love with in Conyers and lived there for 27 years. She loved the independence of having her own house and the land that surrounded it, constantly working in her garden. She was an avid gardener and it brought her so much joy and peace. She was a member and made regular visits to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Gisele was also an avid contributor and supporter of the Rockdale Master Gardener’s Association. She was also a supporter and member of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta which has in its permanent collection a piece of Louis Durot’s work donated in honor of her children.

Gisele enjoyed dining out with friends, going to the theater, and to the movies. She stayed busy with a full social calendar all year long. She was a member of COSM for about ten years and made multiple close friends who survive her. Gisele was also very active and attended the Unity Church of Rockdale County for many years. She loved her church family and was very active in her church life. She especially enjoyed arranging the flowers for Sunday service. Outside of the previous mentioned activities Gisele had many, many friends. She gathered friends like she gathered her flowers. They would look out for her and she enjoyed their loving support.

Shortly before she died Gisele moved to Montgomery, Alabama fulfilling a long-time desire to be close to her daughter, Cynthia. While she was otherwise in great health, she was given a terminal diagnosis shortly after relocating. Gisele filled those last weeks as she did in life; with much energy and love for her friends and family. She will be terribly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Gisele was preceded in death by; her parents, Rene and Josephine Person; her sister and brother in-law, Mauricette and Marcel LeComte; her brother and sister in-law, Maurice and Josette Person; her brother and sister in-law, Yves and Monique Person; and her sister in-law Annette Person, all of France.

She is survived by her daughter Cynthia Barkley (Jamie) of Montgomery, Alabama; her son John P. Menese (Anne) of Lilburn, Georgia; and her brother Abel Person of Epernay, France. In addition, her step grandchild Melanie Latour, (Scot) of Monroe, Georgia and her step great grandchild Charles Latour of Monroe, Georgia. She also leaves multiple nieces and nephews in France and America. And let us not forget her loving and precious Tuxedo cat, Rosie and her turtle, Lily, who traveled with her throughout the country.

Gisele’s Celebration of Life will be Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 11:00 AM (EST) at Unity Church of Rockdale - 190 Oglesby Bridge Rd SE, Conyers, GA 30094. In true “Gisele style,” she said she did not want people mourning and wearing black. She asked that everyone dress in colorful, happy attire. So, wear your best colorful, flowery outfit!

In lieu of flowers, Gisele asked that donations be made, in her name, to one of the following:

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network - at pancan.org/donate, or through the

mail at 2101 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 3200, El Segundo, CA 90245

Unity Church of Rockdale - 190 Oglesby Bridge Rd SE, Conyers, GA 30094

Or you can purchase a cow, in her memory, through the Legacy Cow Program at Servant’s House Community Church – 8100 Sorrel Lane, Montgomery, AL 36117. Cows purchased through the Legacy Cow Program are given to widows in Eldoret, Kenya