Antoinette Gilbert
Antoinette (Joyal) Gilbert passed away at Mi Casita Assisted Living Home in Ajijic on February 11.
Born in Quebec, Canada, the youngest of nine children, Gilbert was one year old when her father moved the family to Holyoke, Massachusetts. While growing up in Holyoke, she sat down at a piano at the local girls’ club and without a single lesson, began to play songs from the radio. She also sang and harmonized beautifully. Music was her passion and she had a piano and organ in her home that she played every day.
Gilbert married the love of her life, Roger Gilbert, in 1945 and for 65 years they shared their love of singing and dancing, bowling and playing cards with family and friends. She was involved with the Ladies Guild at St. Ann’s, AARP, the American Legion and spent many hours volunteering at the Soldiers Veterans Home.
Gilbert was predeceased by her husband and all of her siblings. She leaves behind daughter Diane Hammond of Ajjijic, grandson Reuben Fling and great-granddaughters Taylor Meyers and Chrystianna Fling. All will miss her dearly.
Her urn will join her husband in Precious Blood Cemetery, Holyoke, where a mass will be held at a later date.
Al Reynolds
Al Reynolds died suddenly at his home in Ajijic on April 17 at the age of 67.
Born in Danville, Illinois and raised in Potomac, Illinois, Reynolds joined the U.S. Navy shortly after graduating from high school. He served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam conflict.
While stationed in California, he met the love of his life, Tina. They were married in 1977, and would have celebrated 40 years of marriage in August this year.
Reynolds spent a number of years as an electrical engineer in the aerospace industry and later became a professor at DeVry University in Pomona, California. After his retirement, he became active in mission work, making two mission trips to Kenya, as well as several to Baja California.
Al and Tina moved to Ajijic in 2011. Since then, Reynolds divided his time between serving at Lake Chapala Baptist Church and helping out at Hope House Boys’ Home in Ixtlahuacán.
Reynolds is survived by his wife; his father, Arnold Reynolds; brother Rich Reynolds of Champaign, Illinois; daughters Joni Toner of Temecula, California, Sherri Flood of Oxnard, California, Kelly Mesa of Arlington, Washington and Laurie Wylie of Phillips Ranch, California; and 11 grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for Thursday, May 4 at 11 a.m. at Lake Chapala Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hope House Boys’ Home. For information on ways to donate, visit casahogarmexico.org.
Marlene Gale Sehn
Lakeside resident Marlene Gale Sehn died April 20 at the age of 76.
Born July 11, 1940 in Eckville, Alberta, Sehn started school at the Estonian School and moved to Eckville School for Grades 2 to 12, graduating in 1958.
While in high school, she worked for Red McAndrews at the Eckville Co-op. Upon graduating, Sehn worked at a grocery store in Edmonton and then in a secretarial capacity in Calgary. While still in high school, her love of dancing led to meeting her future husband, Tom Sehn, who was playing saxophone in a family band.
The couple tied the knot on May 21, 1960, in Eckville and were happily married for 56 years.
During their years of marriage, they enjoyed travelling around the world, living in Singapore, Scotland, Spain, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Syria and Costa Rica before settling at Lake Chapala, their final retirement destination. Sehn made friends everywhere she lived as she was truly interested in people.
Sehn loved sports, especially hockey, tennis and golf. She played softball in high school and later on the Eckville Women’s Softball team. In recent years, she fell in love with tennis, both on the court and television.
Sehn will be dearly missed. She is survived by her loving husband; children Brad (Yui and Icey) in Thailand, Greg (Jillian and Jake) in Edmonton and Tracey (Harold and Jordan) in Beaumont. She also leaves behind her sister and best friend, Verna (Richard, Tina, Terri, Kris and their families) and stepbrother Michael (Cathy and Megyn), aunts and uncles, brother/sister-in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, tennis partners and co-coffee drinkers too numerous to name.
The blessing and final commendation of the remains of Sehn will be held at the San Andres Church in Ajijic on Sunday, April 30, near the end of the 9 a.m. mass. Another celebration of Sehn’s life will be held in Eckville at a later date to be confirmed. She has been cremated and her wishes are to be buried in the Eckville Cemetery.