Alice Guilbert, a beloved resident of Great Falls, Montana, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2024, at the age of 84. Born on August 25, 1940, in Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba, Alice was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, and sister whose kindness and warmth touched the lives of everyone she met.
She spent her early childhood on a farm near Somerset, Manitoba. She was enrolled in the Saskatchewan School for the Deaf at age 7 where she received her education. Remarkably, it was a one-day train ride away from home, a journey she made on her own, returning for summer break and Christmas. She was able to recount many memories of the shared time between her life on the farm and at school.
After graduating, Alice worked at the Manitoba Government Motor Vehicle Branch as a typist. Alice married Derald Guilbert, moving to Great Falls in 1965 and became a naturalized US citizen in 1970. Her stalwart support of the Great Falls deaf community spanned decades. She was a dedicated teacher’s aide, substitute and media program manager at the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind for 30 years, inspiring countless students with her passion for life and her unwavering belief in their potential. She also taught a community sign language class, was an advisor for the Jr National Association of the Deaf and the Secretary of the Montana Association of the Deaf for 36 years and was a member of the Great Falls Club of the Deaf for many years.
She was known for her unconditional love of family and hunger for experiencing as much of the world as possible. She found joy adventuring with Derald through Europe, Japan, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, but may have been happiest with her family anywhere they might be. The grandchildren remember her for making perfect peanut butter cookies, crepes, butter tarts and date bars.
She is survived by her two children, Gisele (Steve) and Galen (Pauline); six grandchildren, Austin, Erin (Imi), Holden, Ryan, Marco and Luca who were the light of her life; and siblings, Suzanne, Robert and Murielle. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Derald, who passed away in 2018.
A celebration of Alice’s life will be held on October 7, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Holy Spirit Catholic Church specifically for the deaf interpretive services.
Alice will be deeply missed but will forever remain in the hearts of those she loved. Her legacy of compassion and joy will continue to inspire all who knew her.
Condolences for the family may be shared online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.
Author: Staff
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